MMRCA 2.0 - Updates and Discussions

[Lolwa]

As good or bad as most defence related publications we have here. You should look at the howlers Vayu comes up with.

They get more flak because this is a niche area with not many publications & the fact that they're fairly prolific in their output.

Having said that they deserve the brickbats coming their way for such gaffes intended or otherwise just as they deserve praise for getting it right which I don't seem to recall anybody showering them with.

Back on topic , I suspect the IAF wants to do much more with the Rafales than merely weapons integration .

This could extend to tinkering around with the radars in the future , their EW / SPECTRA ,etc without French interference much like we're doing w.r.t the Super Sukhoi upgrades / have done to the MKI or the Jaguars. Easier said than done.

Why would or should DA accept these terms ? That's their bread & butter apart from their crown jewels . There's always the danger of such secrets being leaked . It'd be a national tragedy for le Francais as the Rafales are not only the main stay of Armee de l'air it's practically the only front line platform they have in service in the French Navy as well .

And in terms of money if it comes down to that which I very much doubt how much are our penny pinching babooos willing to shell out ? I see DA beginning with a figure of 10 billion USD likely more.

We would have to give the French atleast a 15 billion dollar deal for them to give the source codes and the rest.

 

[Parthu]

That's just stupid. We are already integrating Astra on the Rafale. Most other weapons are significantly less intrusive. All we need is access to the weapons integration module in the MC or via a middleware. The US is allowing that for partner nations even for the F-35.

For stealth, we will still need French assistance, but for non-stealth, we will be able to integrate like we do on regular jets without the need to access SPECTRA's core systems.

We need a larger order to make it financially viable to make up for the loss of weapons sales and the cost of development of the Rafale. When the order becomes big enough, we will even be able to re-write the source codes over time for our own use.

This is just propaganda pushed by the anti-French lobby, nothing more.

Not sharing source codes doesn't mean we won't be allowed to integrate our weapons. It just means we can't do it by ourselves, will need to pay them for the privilege. That's all.

Astra on Rafale-M probably followed similar route.

 

[Picdelamirand-oil]

Not sharing source codes doesn't mean we won't be allowed to integrate our weapons. It just means we can't do it by ourselves, will need to pay them for the privilege. That's all.

Astra on Rafale-M probably followed similar route.

From the point of view of stealth and aerodynamics, the three versions of the Rafale are absolutely identical, so there is only one modification to be made for all three versions on SPECTRA and on the FCS.

 

[randomradio]

Not sharing source codes doesn't mean we won't be allowed to integrate our weapons. It just means we can't do it by ourselves, will need to pay them for the privilege. That's all.

Yes, for now. When the news broke the first time, people actually assumed France had blanket-banned Indian weapons on Rafale. They didn't know we got into a deal for Astra and SAAW last year.

The IAF wants to integrate weapons on their own, which is fine. But it's not a technical hurdle, it's a business hurdle. So when stuff like "regardless of the number of units ordered" shows up, it just looks stupid.

When MMRCA began, all competitors had to sign a binding declaration that non-OEM weapons integration will be allowed. And all the competitors did. MRFA will follow the same formula.

So any deal will have to be worth their while if sources codes transfers are needed, like MMRCA was with its 6-9 squadron order. This much should be obvious.

People need to be much more attentive when it comes to sifting through the news to separate real stuff from propaganda. If something doesn't make sense, then it's obviously fake.

Astra on Rafale-M probably followed similar route.

If IN wants Astra on M, then they will only need to stick it on the jet on the flightline. A weapon on one Rafale is a weapon on all Rafales.