Rafale DH/EH of Indian Air Force : News and Discussions

Defence used to keep the civilians at a arms length before. Now everything is so accessible that the planes are being tracked to their bases.
Our chiefs are giving interviews and even commanders are on tv giving interviews.
Turning everything into a bloody tamasha.

agreed totally
 
Some are saying IAF asks for 3 more squadrons of Rafales. Dont know how authentic is that rumours.
 
One of France's A330 MRTTs will bring to India medical equipment [70 respirators and 100,000 test kits] to combat the covid-19 epidemic, as well as a team of experts from the Army Health Service [SSA].

, said Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces.

This report states Eric Trappier about possible sale of rafale being postponed due to covid19.. it also speculates india being the prospect buyer of new rafale orders... How genuine is this.. did Trappier recently made any statement about rafale possible sales getting postponed?

 
This report states Eric Trappier about possible sale of rafale being postponed due to covid19.. it also speculates india being the prospect buyer of new rafale orders... How genuine is this.. did Trappier recently made any statement about rafale possible sales getting postponed?

This is not a problem related to the Rafale but a slowdown in the administrative processes that lead to the purchase of aircraft. For example, the Rafale is a candidate to equip the Swiss and Finnish aircrafts. But the schedule of these tenders has been pushed back a few months because of the corona virus.
On the other hand Trappier said that conversations had resumed for new Rafale tranches and the countries where such conversations are possible are Egypt and India.
 
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Some are saying IAF asks for 3 more squadrons of Rafales. Dont know how authentic is that rumours.
That means onother air base.
Total of 5x18 = 90. From years long I always said India will take at least 90.

unfortunately I never agree to those expecting 200+ or 300 birds. My heart hope so, but my brain don't.
This report states Eric Trappier about possible sale of rafale being postponed due to covid19.. it also speculates india being the prospect buyer of new rafale orders... How genuine is this.. did Trappier recently made any statement about rafale possible sales getting postponed?

France may anticipate the next order.... to boost french economy.
 
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Hope security around ambala airbase has been strengthened. The enemy are watching very intently. We have a tendency to always get surprised due to our chalta hai attitude and cant afford any security lapses.
Ambala is a pretty crowded city. Couldn't these planes be stationed somewhere else ?
 
That means onother air base.
Total of 5x18 = 90. From years long I always said India will take at least 90.

unfortunately I never agree to those expecting 200+ or 300 birds. My heart hope so, but my brain don't.

France may anticipate the next order.... to boost french economy.
If IAF getting a total 90 rafale & still pursuing for mmrca2, then we altogether cancel Tejas Mk2 in favor of orca.
 
It should be like that. Public pressure should be there for better and faster defence procurements. There should be questions on why is there a shortage of fighter, submarines? or Why does a single fighter costs Rs 1800 cr?

Service chiefs should be able to justify their requirements and big-ticket procurements. Why does the navy need its own airforce and Rs 50,000 cr aircraft carrier? What purpose does it serve in a conflict?. The narrative shouldn't be run paid out journalists who write puff pieces daily for Boeing to Dassault.

When there is a successful pragmatic procurement like rafale. The political class should be able to reap the benefits. Do a flypast or a circus i don't care as long as our forces get to use it.
Buying very expensive planes with our tax money is no credit to the politicians.
Suppose they overhaul HAL and encourage massive private interest and investment in our local aerospace industry, then they get credit.
Thats their job. Its not as if they negotiated so well that India got the Rafale at bargain prices.
They couldn't even convince the French to manufacturer the rafale in India.
 
Buying very expensive planes with our tax money is no credit to the politicians.
Suppose they overhaul HAL and encourage massive private interest and investment in our local aerospace industry, then they get credit.
Thats their job. Its not as if they negotiated so well that India got the Rafale at bargain prices.
They couldn't even convince the French to manufacturer the rafale in India.
Fair points. But you need to understand this thing the closest we could have got to manufacturing a foreign fighter jet in India is Su30MKI project. The amount of ToT received is actually tremendous.

We cannot expect similar level of ToT now from any other country.

Means at the very best we can have a Final Assembly and Rollout plant in India. Now with the very recent BAE HAWK program, we should actually come to our senses and forget about manufacturing of MMRCA planes in India. Simply because it's not economically feasible anymore. A Rafale assembled in India will cost the IAF atleast 1.5 times more to procure.

Rather we should aim to have facilities in India to ensure smooth LRU/spare supplies and a Rafale Repair and Overhaul unit.

It will always be cheaper and quicker to buy Rafale from French production line, untill we are looking at procuring atleast 300 of those.
 
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Buying very expensive planes with our tax money is no credit to the politicians.
Suppose they overhaul HAL and encourage massive private interest and investment in our local aerospace industry, then they get credit.
Thats their job. Its not as if they negotiated so well that India got the Rafale at bargain prices.
They couldn't even convince the French to manufacturer the rafale in India.
We need to find out money, if i am not wrong India is the only military power which spend least on military. We have to face two nuclear power simultaneously at the same time, that to from east & western side if india.
 

THREAD!

@safriz

I guess it'd be poetic justice were this Kashmiri to fly a Rafale the next time we face Paxtan. What say you?
Fair points. But you need to understand this thing the closest we could have got to manufacturing a foreign fighter jet in India is Su30MKI project. The amount of ToT received is actually tremendous.

We cannot expect similar level of ToT now from any other country.

Means at the very best we can have a Final Assembly and Rollout plant in India. Now with the very recent BAE HAWK program, we should actually come to our senses and forget about manufacturing of MMRCA planes in India. Simply because it's not economically feasible anymore. A Rafale assembled in India will cost the IAF atleast 1.5 times more to procure.

Rather we should aim to have facilities in India to ensure smooth LRU/spare supplies and a Rafale Repair and Overhaul unit.

It will always be cheaper and quicker to buy Rafale from French production line, untill we are looking at procuring atleast 300 of those.
The French here seem to be of the impression that the price of the Rafale would be the same or cheaper were it to be made in India. @Picdelamirand-oil ; @Bon Plan
 
Hope security around ambala airbase has been strengthened. The enemy are watching very intently. We have a tendency to always get surprised due to our chalta hai attitude and cant afford any security lapses.
Ambala is a pretty crowded city. Couldn't these planes be stationed somewhere else ?
Hearing section 144 is imposed in Ambala cantt for better observation & security. It's a junction City afterall.
 
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The French here seem to be of the impression that the price of the Rafale would be the same or cheaper were it to be made in India. @Picdelamirand-oil ; @Bon Plan

If that was possible, AK Antony would never had said we have no money for MMRCA.

You have to understand, a Rafale assembled in India would be from kits. Fuselage and some computer systems is all we will make , rest all important costly systems will have to be imported. That's costly and has taxes too.
 
If that was possible, AK Antony would never had said we have no money for MMRCA.

You have to understand, a Rafale assembled in India would be from kits. Fuselage and some computer systems is all we will make , rest all important costly systems will have to be imported. That's costly and has taxes too.
As a engineer i can tell you, buying individual parts and assembling is always more expensive than buying a fully assembled equipment.
MMRCA should be pursued with more vigor. Not shelved. A homegrown jet with even 75% of the sophistication of rafale, can be used in large numbers to offset quality.
Where our 250+ sukhois fit in is a never ending puzzle for me ? We are still buying more of them but seem to have more faith in the m2000 of the 80s.
 
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As a engineer i can tell you, buying individual parts and assembling is always more expensive than buying a fully assembled equipment.
MMRCA should be pursued with more vigor. Not shelved. A homegrown jet with even 75% of the sophistication of rafale, can be used in large numbers to offset quality.
Where our 250+ sukhois fit in is a never ending puzzle for me ? We are still buying more of them but seem to have more faith in the m2000 of the 80s.

MMRCA if completed within reasonable price increase compared to direct imports from a country. Total support.

Su30MKI is heavy duty air superiority primarily. It simply means that once Rafales complete their SEAD/DEAD in case of a conflict, an airspace with Su30MKI on its own without any supporting aircrafts will deter any possible flying machine our enemies have or may have even for next decade.

It's radar might be PESA , but it's capabilities to multi task is a big advantage in any cluttered conflicted airspace. No AESA of China will come even close to what our Bars is capable of doing in a cluttered airspace against a larger number of targets all at once. Russians do have an AESA now, it's just not a very big upgrade over our PESA , that's why we are still waiting. We spent quite a big amount on ToT for Bars.

What's F15 for US armed forces, Su30MKI is for us.
 
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As a engineer i can tell you, buying individual parts and assembling is always more expensive than buying a fully assembled equipment.
All depend of the Quantity of the order.
Small Qty => low investments possible => fewer components made in India.
In the MMRCA (1 or 2) case, it is possible to create tools and bench, to invest in some machines so as to produce more parts.

But the high difference of the man pay roll betwwen India and France can open wide possibility.
 
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