Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighter For The Indian Navy - Updates & Discussions

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Bon Plan said:
I think it is possible to have a GaN antenna on RBE2AESA, so you may have it before F5, if you agree to pay.

It is rumored that Spectra antennas already are in GaN, so it is possible, but :
- GaN modules remain expensive, and a radar antenna has far more T/R, so cost ++
- The range of a GaN antenna is bigger than the one of a AsGa. If your hardware is not powerfull enough to scan the bigger space seen by the antenna, it is not optimum.

So the french decided to study a complete new radar, with a GaN antenna, a far more powerfull hardware behind, and a pinch or two of IA to help : XG one.
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If Rafale F4.xx wins MRFA, then it's entirely possible that we may demand an all-new GaN radar or GaN dish on RBE2 AESA backend!! Anyways, GaN for SPECTRA shall be realized before that, so that's quite good for us.

I think the value of Rafale far excels, GaN vs GaAS debate as it's an excellent plane by design. You French have really created a marvel. Rafale is literally a 'do it all' plane.

Just hope Rafale wins MRFA competition and we end up with over 200 Rafales(what was our original choice).
 
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Picdelamirand-oil said:
They just have to take the Rafale M and they will have all these improvements at the same time, plus the capacity to add CFTs without structural problems.
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They should have had a much faster replacement cycle once the SH's original goal failed. Instead they wasted time with the F-35C. The F/A-XX should have been in production right now.
 
randomradio said:
Both were expected this year. Only the IAF's LCA order could be delayed, although I hope it goes through this year.

It's been the navy's year overall, with the Guardians and SSNs.

Prediction made, prediction executed.
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Any remote chance that IAF will get follow on orders for Rafale?
 
Hydra said:
Any remote chance that IAF will get follow on orders for Rafale?
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Unlikely without a significant change in our security environment. MRFA is the only route for 4th gen right now.

In fact, going for an alternative at this time will ruin the IAF's efforts towards MRFA.

An alternative is possible for 5th or 6th gen stopgap though. This route has been open since 2018. Money, tech availabilty, and politics are the major constraints.
 
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randomradio said:
Unlikely without a significant change in our security environment. MRFA is the only route for 4th gen right now.

In fact, going for an alternative at this time will ruin the IAF's efforts towards MRFA.

An alternative is possible for 5th or 6th gen stopgap though. This route has been open since 2018. Money, tech availabilty, and politics are the major constraints.
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Rafale F5 with Ghatak drones is as good as fifth-generation American aircraft
 
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Gg3u28WW8AAh6jk


https://twitter.com/x/status/1877419261070594429
 
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India, France to sign Rafale marine fighters deal, likely during French defence minister’s April visit

New Delhi: India and France have completed the negotiations for the €7 billion deal for 26 Rafale marine fighters and the deal is likely to be signed in April this year during French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s India visit, ThePrint has learnt.

Sources in the defence and security establishment said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to France on 10-12 February to co-chair an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit.


He will also hold bilateral discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron during which both sides may announce the deal.
ThePrint was the first to report on 7 December, 2022, that the Indian Navy had chosen the Rafale Marine over the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. ThePrint had also reported on 5 December, 2024, that PM Modi could travel to France in February and the deal is likely to be signed around it.

Sources told ThePrint that the negotiations have been completed and the deal will be signed after the Parliament Budget session is over. The earlier plan was to sign the deal within this fiscal, but this could get extended because of the Parliament session.

France would be obligated under contract to deliver the first Rafale Marine aircraft in 37 months from the date of signing the deal.

The contract would also have a clause whereby within 18 months, manufacturer Dassault Aviation will showcase a Rafale Marine with the modifications the Indian Navy wanted.

The sources did not go into these specific changes, but said they were to ensure that the aircraft performed optimally from an Indian aircraft carrier.

Incidentally, India is also working on the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), which has been cleared from all relevant ministries and is now being studied by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).

The Navy had initially moved a proposal for 145 TEDBFs, basing their requirement for a three-carrier force.

However, it is learnt that defence policy planners at the government level are of the opinion that the Indian Navy should project requirements on the basis of two-aircraft carriers as of now.

Accordingly, fresh numbers projected are about 87 TEDBFs.

While formalities were being completed, the Navy, ADA and the relevant agencies were working on the three prototypes of the Tejas Navy. This, they said, was being funded by the earmarked budget for the Tejas.

The sources said the Navy had identified 14 essential upgrades it needed on the TEDBF, including automatic landing and take-off features that the Tejas Navy is short of.

Four of the 14 technologies identified have been tested on the Tejas Navy and have been accepted, they added.
 
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Ashwin said:
India, France to sign Rafale marine fighters deal, likely during French defence minister’s April visit

New Delhi: India and France have completed the negotiations for the €7 billion deal for 26 Rafale marine fighters and the deal is likely to be signed in April this year during French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s India visit, ThePrint has learnt.

Sources in the defence and security establishment said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to France on 10-12 February to co-chair an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit.


He will also hold bilateral discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron during which both sides may announce the deal.
ThePrint was the first to report on 7 December, 2022, that the Indian Navy had chosen the Rafale Marine over the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. ThePrint had also reported on 5 December, 2024, that PM Modi could travel to France in February and the deal is likely to be signed around it.

Sources told ThePrint that the negotiations have been completed and the deal will be signed after the Parliament Budget session is over. The earlier plan was to sign the deal within this fiscal, but this could get extended because of the Parliament session.

France would be obligated under contract to deliver the first Rafale Marine aircraft in 37 months from the date of signing the deal.

The contract would also have a clause whereby within 18 months, manufacturer Dassault Aviation will showcase a Rafale Marine with the modifications the Indian Navy wanted.

The sources did not go into these specific changes, but said they were to ensure that the aircraft performed optimally from an Indian aircraft carrier.

Incidentally, India is also working on the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), which has been cleared from all relevant ministries and is now being studied by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).

The Navy had initially moved a proposal for 145 TEDBFs, basing their requirement for a three-carrier force.

However, it is learnt that defence policy planners at the government level are of the opinion that the Indian Navy should project requirements on the basis of two-aircraft carriers as of now.

Accordingly, fresh numbers projected are about 87 TEDBFs.

While formalities were being completed, the Navy, ADA and the relevant agencies were working on the three prototypes of the Tejas Navy. This, they said, was being funded by the earmarked budget for the Tejas.

The sources said the Navy had identified 14 essential upgrades it needed on the TEDBF, including automatic landing and take-off features that the Tejas Navy is short of.

Four of the 14 technologies identified have been tested on the Tejas Navy and have been accepted, they added.
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The French send their pilots to the US for carrier qualification training on the T-45 Goshawk iirc before transitioning to OCU units. So did we when we converted from STOVL Sea Harrier to MiG-29K.

I'm hoping the IN would announce orders for a squadron of LCA-N Mk1 soon. Between that and Hawk Mk132, our training needs should be covered.
 
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India-France strategic ties to get major boost with Rafale Scorpene deals

NEW DELHI: India's expansive strategic partnership with France is set to get a further boost with two mega deals being virtually finalised for direct acquisition of 26 Rafale-Marine fighters, as well as the construction of three additional Scorpene submarines, which will collectively be worth almost Rs 1 lakh crore (Euro 10.6 billion).

As PM Narendra Modi left for Paris on Monday, government sources told TOI that the Rs 63,000 crore deal for 22 single-seat Rafale-M jets and four twin-seat trainers for Navy is now with the cabinet committee for security (CCS), awaiting the final nod.

The Rs 33,500 crore deal for 3 additional diesel-electric Scorpene submarines, to be constructed by Mazagon Docks (MDL) in collaboration with French Naval Group, in turn, will soon head for CCS after inter-ministerial consultations. "CCS will take up the Rafale-M deal after the PM returns from France-US trip. The cost negotiations for Scorpenes took a little longer because MDL had originally quoted a high price. The aim is to ink both deals before this fiscal ends on March 31," a source said.

The two countries are also discussing a possible collaboration between French major Safran, which already makes helicopter engines in India, and DRDO to co-develop the 110 kilonewton jet engine for the Indian fifth-generation stealth fighter project, AMCA (advanced medium combat aircraft). But that is in the future. The impending government-to-government Rafale-M deal includes weapons, simulators, crew training and five-year performance-based logistics support as well as spares for the 36 Rafales already inducted by IAF under the Rs 59,000 crore contract in Sept 2016.

The 26 Rafale-M jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation, with "specific enhancements" to operate from the deck of indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, will be delivered in 37 to 65 months after inking of the contract. "The new inter-governmental agreement mirrors the one inked in the IAF deal. All jets are to be delivered by 2030-31," a source said.

The first of the three additional Scorpenes, in turn, will roll out of MDL in six years, followed by the other two at intervals of a year each, after the contract is inked. The deal's cost does not yet include the price of fitting them with the fuel cell-based air-independent propulsion (AIP) developed by DRDO for greater underwater endurance.

The three new Scorpenes will have "some design modifications and improvements" over the first six such Kalvari-class vessels constructed at MDL for over Rs 23,000 crore. The plan is to fit them with the indigenous AIP, while the first six operational Scorpenes will progressively get it when they come for their scheduled refits.
 
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