India rafale is a 4.5 generation stealth aircraft that can take on a wide variety of missions. It is a powerful fighter jet that can also be used to carry a range of potent weapons like MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system.
This aircraft is multi-role and can be used for ground attack, air defense and carrier strike. It can detect enemy aircraft up to a very close range thanks to its advanced radar and electronic warfare system.
The aircraft has a service life of around 20 years, and its maintenance costs are low. This plane is of the 4.5 generation and can carry long-range air to air and ground missiles, as well as advanced radar and electronic warfare capabilities.
Several countries around the world use the Rafale. France, for instance, has deployed the Rafale-M on its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, while Egypt has also purchased a number of the planes.
Indian military officers have been impressed so far by the Rafale from France. It was already inducted into IAF, and deployed over Ladakh as part of India's struggle with China. It is expected to play a major role in the conflict between the two nations.
Former IAF chief BS Dhanoa praised Rafale's "game-changer" status. 36 Rafale aircraft are expected to be delivered by French company Dassault Aviation. Dhanoa spoke to Hindustan Times about the operational flight of the aircraft and its overall performance.
It is expected that it will replace the IAF's aging Tejas and Mirage-2000 multirole planes. Dhanoa explained to Hindustan Times that its cost is estimated at Rs 60000 crore and that it could last up to 30 decades.
The IAF has also been looking for a marine version of the Rafale that could be mounted on its indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Dassault Aviation demonstrated a model from its naval variant during the Aero India 2023 exhibition in Bengaluru.
India's Air Force needs a modernized fleet that can combat China's growing strength and keep its borders protected. The current fleet comprises 30 Tejas Mark 1 multirole, 51 Mirage-2000s (98 SEPECAT Jaguars), and 36 Rafale Jets for ground and air defense.
The IAF is still in search of a ship-borne fighter that could match the Chinese jets. The IAF is also considering US's F/A-18 Super Hornet fifth-generation fighter, which it can deploy to an aircraft carrier.
A Chinese Communist Party propaganda web site stated earlier this week that Indian aircraft have no chance against China’s J-20 stealth jet fighter. It was an inflamatory stance that experts from the Indian military have denied.
In an article published on the Global Times website, a Chinese military expert claimed that the Rafale fighters were only one-fourth of a generation ahead of China's J-20 and did not yield a significant qualitative change.
India had previously ordered Rafale to be paid for at least eight billion Euros. The controversy erupted in India when opposition politicians claimed that bribes were being exchanged to secure the deal behind closed-doors. The Supreme Court, however, ruled that the deal was valid. They also rejected appeals in November 2019.