All About Rafale-M: Indian Navy’s New Fighter From France

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) met on Thursday (July 13) to clear proposals to buy 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for the Navy, as well as three Scorpene submarines for...

SSBCrackExams
July 14, 2023
1197

SSBCrackExams
July 14, 2023
1197

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) met on Thursday (July 13) to clear proposals to buy 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for the Navy, as well as three Scorpene submarines for the force, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day Paris visit began.

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The DAC’s approval sets the door for a possible announcement on purchasing the Rafale M aircraft during Modi’s visit to Paris. The DAC, which is led by defence minister Rajnath Singh, approves bids for large-ticket capital procurements. While the DAC has granted the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to procure the 26 fighter jets — the first step in the lengthy defence procurement process — the price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated later with the French government because they will be purchased under an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA).

About Rafale-M

Rafale-M, as the name suggests is the marine version of the Rafale which currently the IAF is using where M itself stands for Marine. It comes with modifications that allow the Aircraft to perform operations from CATOBAR-equipped aircraft carriers. The M variant has a stronger airframe for carrier operations, a longer nose gear leg for a more nose-up attitude, a larger tailhook between the engines, and a built-in boarding ladder.

Also read: Know The Difference Between IAF’s Rafale And Rafale-M Of Indian Navy

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All About Rafale M Indian Navys New Fighter From France

As a result, the Rafale M weighs approximately 500 kg (1,100 lb) more than the Rafale C. It is the only non-US fighter aircraft authorised to operate from the decks of US carriers, employing catapults and arresting gear, as proved in 2008 when six Rafales from Flottille 12F participated in an interoperability exercise with the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Air Wing.

Difference between Rafale jets and their Marine version

The Rafale Marine fighters are the navy derivative of the Rafale fighter jets, of which the Indian Air Force operates 36.

The Rafales are advanced twin-engine, multi-role fighter jets manufactured by France’s Dassault Aviation. They are outfitted with cutting-edge weapon systems, such as Meteor-beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, Hammer air-to-surface smart weapon systems, and Scalp cruise missiles, as well as modern sensors and radar to detect, track, and attack targets. The jets can carry extremely large payloads.

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Furthermore, the jets have been outfitted with India-specific upgrades and can carry out a variety of tasks. Because the planes will operate from aircraft carriers at sea, the Marine variant will be slightly different. Foldable wings, a longer airframe for landing on carriers, and a tail hook for arrested landing on a carrier are among the differences.

According to French Company Safran, the nose and main landing gears of the naval version have been modified to meet the aircraft’s challenging aircraft carrier landing and catapulting circumstances. The Rafale M nose gear includes “jump strut technology” in the shock absorber to provide the aircraft with an angle of attack during catapulting. This navy version of the aircraft can also carry a broader range of weaponry, such as anti-ship missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and marine radar.

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Features of Rafale-M

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.

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