INS Vikrant: Can India once again make a Rafale fighter jet deal with France? This question is because India needs 26 fighter jets for the indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, and a special report related to this has been submitted by the Navy to the Defense Ministry.
The Indian Navy requires deck-worn fighter aircraft for its indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. Since the indigenous fighter aircraft, TEDBA (Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter) may still take 8-10 years to develop, the Navy had a few months ago selected two of the world's best fighter jets, the Rafale (M) of France and the F-15 of the US, for Vikrant. -18A 'Super Hornet' was called to Goa for trial.
The Navy submitted a report to Defense Ministry
According to sources, after the trial, the Navy submitted its report to the Defense Ministry, which states that Rafale has proved to be 'twenty' from the Super Hornet. This means both fighter jets are fine for Vikrant but the size of Rafale (M) is more appropriate for Vikrant. Since the Air Force is already using Rafale, Rafale (M) becomes a possibility. However, it is now up to the Ministry of Defense (Government) to decide which fighter jet will be purchased for the Navy. Rafale (M) is the Marine version of the Rafale fighter aircraft being used by the Air Force. The Navy needs 26 fighter jets for Vikrant.
Navy Chief Admiral R Harikumar said
Just a day before Navy Day, Navy Chief Admiral R Harikumar himself told in the capital Delhi that the trials of both foreign fighter jets have been completed and the reports are being reviewed.
Search for fighter jets for INS Vikrant
In fact, in January this year, the Indian Navy started looking for fighter jets for the indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. In this episode, the Rafale (Marine) fighter aircraft of the Dassault (Dassault) company of France reached the INS Hans base of the Navy in Goa where Rafale was trialed at the Tire Based Trial Facility (SBTF). After this, America's F/A-18 Super Hornet will also be tested in March. After the completion of the trial, it was decided which fighter jet would be taken from Vikrant. These were trials of companies making fighter jets.
Navy's choice of a double-engine fighter jet
In September this year, India's first indigenous aircraft carrier warship, INS Vikrant joined the Navy's war fleet this year. The Indian Navy currently uses a Russian fighter jet, the MiG-29K, for its second aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya. The Navy currently has about 40 MiG-29K aircraft. Apart from this, DRDO and HAL have also made Carrier Based LCA (Navy). But it is a single-engine fighter jet and its testing has also been completed but the Navy is pushing for a double-engine fighter jet.
Navy looking for foreign fighter jet
Keeping in view the needs of the Navy, HAL has now started manufacturing twin engine deck based i.e. TEDBF jet. Right now only the design of TEDBF has been prepared and it may take many years to be built. This is the reason why the Indian Navy is looking at twin-engine fighter jets like Rafale (Marine) and Super Hornet as an alternative. On December 3, Navy Chief Admiral Harikumar himself said that the prototype of TEDBF would be ready by 2026 and it would be built by 2032. In such a situation, the Navy is looking for foreign fighter jets for Vikrant for the next 10 years.
This will be a deal between the governments of the two countries.
In the year 2017, the Ministry of Defense issued RFI i.e. Request for Information for 57 fighter jets for the Indian Navy. Under the same, Dassault and Boeing took part in the tender process. But for the first time, instead of the second phase of the tender process, RFP i.e. Request for Proposal, the Defense Ministry has started the trial first. However, earlier trials used to happen in such arms deals first. According to sources, like the 36 Rafale fighter jets of the Air Force, there will be an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) deal for the Navy as well. That is, instead of bargaining with the company, it will be a deal between the governments of the two countries. According to the information, now only 26 foreign fighter jets will be purchased for the Navy.
According to sources, the aircraft carriers of both the US and France are based on 'catapult' technology. While Indian aircraft carrier warships (Vikrant and Vikramaditya) use stobar i.e. short takeoff but arrested recovery technique like Russia which is also known as ski-jump. In such a situation, Goa was called to test the capability of the fighter jets of the companies of both America and France. In December 2020, the US company Boeing claimed to build the advanced Block-3 fighter jet of the Super Hornet for the Indian aircraft carrier. With the help of the US Navy, Boeing claimed to have tested the F-A/18 Super Hornet on Indian standards (ski jump). But now the balance seems to be tilting towards Rafael (M) of France.
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