In a significant development, India has given the Letter of Request to the French government for the procurement of 26 Rafale Marine fighter aircraft for the Indian Navy under a government-to-government deal.

Rafale-Marine Aircraft

The Letter of Request has been delivered to the French government a few days back and they are expected to decide on the Indian request and respond in the near future, top defence sources told ANI.

What is LoR?

The LoR is like a tender document in which the Indian government has specified all its requirements and capabilities that it would want to have in the Rafale Marine aircraft being acquired for the aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, they said.

Fast-Track Procedure

The Indian Navy and the Indian government are working in a fast-track mode to ensure that the acquisition contract is signed at the earliest and Indian carriers can operate the highly capable aircraft to ensure an edge for New Delhi in the Indian Ocean region.

How is Rafale-M Different from IAF’s Rafale?

Rafale-M Features more modifications to make it Suitable for Carrier Operations, Including:

• A reinforced undercarriage to cope with the stresses of landing on a carrier deck.
• A tail hook for arresting landings.
• A “jump strut” nosewheel, which only extends during short take-offs, including catapult launches.
• A built-in ladder for accessing the cockpit from the carrier deck.
• A carrier-based microwave landing system.
• A new fin-tip Telemir system for syncing the inertial navigation system to external equipment.

Other Differences that Includes are

• The Rafale M is also slightly heavier than the Rafale due to the additional weight of the modifications.
• The different radar system, the Thales RBE2-M, is optimized for maritime operations.
• Different electronic warfare suites, the Thales SPECTRA, which is also optimized for maritime operations.
• The ability to carry a wider range of weapons, including anti-ship missiles and air-to-surface missiles.

Summary: Difference between Rafale-M and Rafale of the IAF

If we have to summarise the differences between Rafale-M and IAF’s Rafale, we can see that Rafale-M comes with some other features which make it functional to operate from an aircraft carrier. So the Difference in precise between both the Rafale’s are:

• It features a carrier-based microwave landing system and a built-in ladder providing direct access to the cockpit from the carrier’s deck.
• It has a strengthened undercarriage to withstand the stress of landing on a carrier deck.
• Its radar, the Thales RBE2-M, is designed for maritime use.
• It possesses a broader arsenal of weaponry, including anti-ship missiles.
• It features wings that can be folded.
• Because of the upgrades, the Rafale M is slightly heavier than its Air Force version.
• The naval version may carry a wider range of weaponry, including anti-ship missiles and air-to-surface missiles.