Rafale Marine, the newest fighter for the Indian Navy, is a tough aircraft made for long-duration combat operations at sea. It has a variety of design features that significantly increase its survivability in carrier operations, which are demanding and expose deck-based assets to a highly corrosive environment.
The twin-engine Rafale M was created especially to fly from ships of the 40,000-ton class. On Thursday, the 45,000-ton INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, received approval from the military acquisition council (DAC), the country’s top procurement agency, to purchase 26 of these fighters.
According to information obtained by HT, the Rafale M has an exceptionally strong airframe and undercarriage for aircraft carrier operations, is constructed of cutting-edge composite materials and corrosion-resistant alloys, offers the highest level of protection against rust, and maintains its performance in harsh tropical environments.
According to former navy commander and renowned veteran aviator Admiral Arun Prakash (retd), landing on an aircraft carrier deck is a painful experience for an aircraft since it is not cushioned and puts a lot of stress on the airframe, fuselage, engines and avionics.
“In comparison to aircraft that are located on land, marine aircraft mounts must be stronger to withstand the stress. Due of the corrosive environment in which they operate, marine fighters have distinct metallurgy, Prakash said.
The INS Vikrant’s fighter planes utilise a ski-jump to take off and are recovered by arrestor wires or what is known as STOBAR (short takeoff but arrested recovery), which puts a great deal of stress on the aircraft. The INS Vikrant was constructed at a cost of 20,000 crore at Cochin Shipyard. Until the Rafale Ms join the navy force, twelve MiG-29Ks of Russian origin are expected to be stationed aboard INS Vikrant, according to the authorities.
In a straight battle to provide the navy with 26 new deck-based fighters, the Rafale M prevailed against the American F/A-18 Super Hornet.
The Rafale is available for both the air force and the navy, and both variants share equipment that simplifies training, maintenance, and logistical support. At a cost of 59,000 crore, the Indian Air Force purchased 36 Rafale planes from France. With their cutting-edge armament, cutting-edge sensors, improved radar for target identification and tracking, and capacity for a significant payload, the new fighters have sharpened the air force’s capabilities.
Weapons that enable fighter pilots to attack air and ground targets from standoff ranges include Mica multi-mission air-to-air missiles, Scalp deep-strike cruise missiles, and Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles. The AM39 Exocet missile will also be added to the Rafale M’s arsenal for anti-ship missions.
The Rafale M is capable of low-level, high-speed penetrations to elude enemy radar and can carry up to 9.5 tonnes of armaments, fuel tanks, and pods on 13 external hardpoints (14 for the air force model).
On the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier of the French Navy, the Rafale M is in use. The payload configuration—which includes the weaponry and fuel tanks—depends on the range of carrier-launched strike raids and takes into account the possibility that a pilot returning to the carrier in poor weather or after a taxing operation may need extra fuel.
According to Dassault Aviation, which makes the Rafale, many improvements aid the pilot trap (arrested landing of the aircraft) on board a carrier in safety. These improvements include a specific approach symbology in head-up display and an innovative and accurate power management system.
In the meantime, the Rafale M aircraft are being imported to satisfy the needs of the navy until India develops its own twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF). By 2026, the TEDBF prototype might fly for the first time, and by 2031, it could be in production.
A total of 30 aircraft, including the new fighters, Kamov-31 helicopters, MH-60R multirole helicopters, and advanced light helicopters, will be flown by INS Vikrant, which has a 76% indigenous content.
