HighLights
  1. Rafale Marine successfully landed on INS Vikrant, a historic first.
  2. Crucial step towards Indian Navy integration and future deployment.
  3. India acquired 26 Rafale-M jets from France.

Rafale Marine (Rafale-M) aircraft successfully landed on board the Indian Navy's indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant on its maiden attempt on 29 October 26, marking a significant development as it is seen as preparation to deploy the French fighter jet on an Indian ship.

The trials pushed the Rafale Marine aircraft a step closer to the Indian Navy. India Today, quoting sources, reported that the Indian Navy has been conducting trials in Goa, aiming to assess modifications required for the operations of the Rafale jet from INS Vikrant.

ALSO READ: Chinese J-16 Jets Conduct Historic Air Combat Exercise With Egyptian Rafales; Why It Matters For India

Rafale-Marine: Indian Navy’s Next-Generation Fighter Jet

The Rafale-Marine is a powerful, advanced fighter jet designed to operate from aircraft carriers at sea. Unlike regular fighter jets that take off from land, this aircraft can launch from and land on moving ships, even in tough sea conditions. It is built by Dassault Aviation of France and is already getting used by the French Navy. The Indian Navy currently operates two aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. If all goes well, the Indian carriers will soon get the Rafale aircraft.

Recommended For You

ALSO READ: Pakistan Collaborating With China On 5th-Gen Fighter Jets A Concern, But India Does Have Capabilities: IAF Chief

Key Features:

Carrier Compatibility: Reinforced landing gear and a tail hook enable safe takeoffs and landings on aircraft carriers.

Advanced Avionics: Equipped with the Thales RBE2 AESA radar and SPECTRA electronic warfare suite for enhanced situational awareness and survivability.

Multirole Capability: Capable of air superiority, ground attack, reconnaissance, and anti-ship missions.

Armament: Can carry a variety of weapons, including air-to-air missiles (MICA, Meteor), air-to-ground missiles (SCALP-EG), and anti-ship missiles (Exocet AM39).

Performance: Maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (approximately 1,912 km/h) and a service ceiling of 50,000 feet.

Last year in April, India signed a significant defence agreement with France to procure 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets, valued at approximately Rs 63,000 crore. This includes 22 single-seat jets and 4 twin-seat jets. This deal marks India's first acquisition of the naval variant of the Rafale, making it the first international operator of this model.

Utilities Of Rafale-M

The Rafale-M jets will be used for missions like air defence, maritime strike, reconnaissance, and shore strikes. The aircraft will help the Navy target enemy fighter jets, ensuring the air defence capability of the fleet and allowing the Navy to exercise control over the seas while staying outside enemy weapon ranges.

The Rafale-M jets will also improve the Navy’s ability to prevent adversaries from gaining maritime domain awareness, weakening their ability to provide targeting information to other platforms.


Also In News