IAF Insists on Indian Weapons for MRFA, Places Onus on OEMs

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has signaled a major shift in its acquisition strategy for the long-awaited Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender.

Deputy Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has categorically stated that the successful bidder for the 114 fighter jet contract must give utmost importance to the integration of Indian weapons.

Enhancing Domestic Capabilities​

This move highlights the IAF's desire to boost self-reliance in the defense sector. By ensuring that the selected fighter jets are compatible with Indian-made weapons, the IAF aims to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthen its domestic armament industry.

The IAF has held extensive discussions with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) competing for the MRFA tender, underlining this critical requirement.

No Restrictions on Weapon Choice​

Sources close to the program indicate that the IAF has been firm on the point that OEMs cannot dictate weapon choices for the procured fighter jets. This insistence on unrestricted weapon selection is crucial for India's strategic flexibility and allows it to tap into its growing defense manufacturing sector.

Source Code Access and Financial Responsibility​

Importantly, the IAF has also stated that if OEMs hesitate to share necessary source codes, the financial cost of integrating Indian weapons will not be borne by India.

This places the responsibility squarely on the bidding companies to collaborate and demonstrate the necessary transparency for seamless integration.

A Factor in the Upcoming RFP​

The Request for Proposal (RFP) to international OEMs is expected to be issued soon, and the IAF's emphasis on domestic weapons integration will undoubtedly be a decisive factor in the tender.

OEMs that exhibit a commitment to collaborate and integrate Indian weaponry will likely hold a significant competitive edge.

Implications and Considerations​

The IAF's strong stance on weapons integration aligns with the Indian government's 'Make in India' initiative, promoting self-sufficiency in defense production.

However, the demand for source code access could prove a point of contention with some OEMs, potentially impacting technology transfer agreements.

The final outcome of the MRFA tender will not only shape the IAF's future capabilities but also shed light on the evolving dynamics between India and global defense manufacturers.

 

[Ashutosh]

Read my comments. As I said, don’t put words in my mouth. A year back they were 1 per month. Now they are 2 per month as of March. This has been confirmed by their own CEO in earnings call who, unlike our HAL chief, hasn’t been proven a liar so far. Even at 13, they had a 90% utilization rate which is way higher than our HAL’s 25% and is well within industrial acceptance levels.

Why not judge from LCA history? LCA mk2 is following nearly the same trajectory. So there is no reason to believe that induction time can be cut shorter in any manner at all. There is history and it is repeating in mk2. There is a pattern.

First of all I haven't heard of anything about 2 Rafales per month..... kindly provide link .... secondly, just as I said no need to pull out conclusions........ Dassault have been making jets from ages while LCA was our first project.....there isn't even a comparison.
LCA mk2 can easily join service in 6 -8 years . While Dassault still won't have completed their backlog.

 

[Avada kedavra]

Yss and that is again going to delay this tender for another 10 to 15 years.
IAF leadership no different than corrupt inefficient govt employees.

 

[Puneet]

MRFA should be finalized this year so that even if HAL delays the Tejas and AMCA, national security will not be impacted and squadron strength will be maintained. It will give breathing time to the indigenous effort.

 

[Akshat]

First of all I haven't heard of anything about 2 Rafales per month..... kindly provide link .... secondly, just as I said no need to pull out conclusions........ Dassault have been making jets from ages while LCA was our first project.....there isn't even a comparison.
LCA mk2 can easily join service in 6 -8 years . While Dassault still won't have completed their backlog.

So you haven’t heard about it and it is their fault? Go and search about his year and earnings call.

And no way. No mk2 till at least 2040 (assuming HaL and ADA are in charge). By then Dassault would be flying 6th gen jets and would have finished all backlog and even Indian orders.

 

[sanket]

Not quite! France being a part of NATO uses a NATO compliant STANAG 4626 standard for avionics architecture. As such, its compatible to be outfitted with just about any allied weapon system that confirms to the standard. Essentially Rafale in French service can be outfitted to carry older AGM-88 HARM or ALARM. More recently with Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range (AARGM-ER) entering production, they can carry them as well.

AGM-88 or ALARM is Not an French Missile , Eurofighter was Runner-up but it was Multinational Fighter jet may b Reason while Rafale is Single Nation ,what u mention is US Missile.

 

[BILLY GILL]

Order 300 mk2 and say bye bye to MRFA phoren maal...

I know many chandigarh lobhy will get angry

Indian armed forces are competent and know what they require. Don't worry, no lobby chandigarh or chanderi matters. Don't worry Mk2 will also be brought, let it first fly. Have patience

 

[Pink Panther]

selling platform for One Time But Milking the Money throught the Life span of Fighter jet.Real profit lies in selling weapons for entire Life span of Fighter jet .Rafale Lacks Ant-radiation Missile Rudram is perfect weapon to b integrate on it .Not only Indigenous ,Brahmos-NG is Indo-Russian . it too can b Integrated on MRFA winner .But Third party weapon Integration too in WVR Pyton -5 which is deadliest it should also b integrated . One of most Terrible upgrade was Mirage-2000 Today it is falling behind the Time . it Lack even 80 kM plus BVR Missile .Lack of AESA Radar too.

Why mention only Rafale, MRFA winner will be decided based on any OEM that allows integration of Indian Missiles and offer help on AMCA and mainly immediate availability of jet, Rafale has extensive Backlog, it will take take 10-15 years to get the first Rafale even if we order next month after the election, also this company you mentioned didn’t even allow integration of AESA or their own Missile Meteor in their own product Mirage.

 

[Ashutosh]

So you haven’t heard about it and it is their fault? Go and search about his year and earnings call.

And no way. No mk2 till at least 2040 (assuming HaL and ADA are in charge). By then Dassault would be flying 6th gen jets and would have finished all backlog and even Indian orders.

No thats why I asked you about the link right!? Pls give the link.

Well it's ok .....u can keep going on with ur mindset and theory

 

[Pink Panther]

It’s a live tender. And with the massive delay in Tejas mk2 due to ineptitude of ADA and HAL, it becomes all the more urgent,

Dassault won’t allow integration of Indian missiles or offer access to Source code, also waiting for another 15 or more years to get the first Rafale won’t be practical for India due to extensive Backlog, we will be inducting Tejas MK2 and even AMCA before even we get our first Rafale, so MRFA doesn’t make any sense at all unless we buy some foreign aircraft that is available in 3-5 years, it is best cancelling MRFA.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

AGM-88 or ALARM is Not an French Missile , Eurofighter was Runner-up but it was Multinational Fighter jet may b Reason while Rafale is Single Nation ,what u mention is US Missile.

That's the thing. They don't need to be French. They just need to conform with allied NATO standard and it will work on plug and play basis. AGM-88 and AARGM-ER are both US, but ALARM missile is produced by MBDA, which is a European multinational consortium with significant French involvement. Anyway since 2007 MBDA has partnered with us on AARGM program.

LFK / MBDA and ATK sign advanced anti-radiation guided missile programme MOU | Press Release | MBDA

MBDA Deutschland and Alliant Techsystems have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the German Ministry of Defense on the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile.

www.mbda-systems.com

 

[Akshat]

Dassault won’t allow integration of Indian missiles or offer access to Source code, also waiting for another 15 or more years to get the first Rafale won’t be practical for India due to extensive Backlog, we will be inducting Tejas MK2 and even AMCA before even we get our first Rafale, so MRFA doesn’t make any sense at all unless we buy some foreign aircraft that is available in 3-5 years, it is best cancelling MRFA.

Again lies. Dassault has said it can deliver jets within 36 months. As for Indian weapons, already agreements have been signed and work is under progress. So plain lies just to defame our military’s first choice Rafale, nothing else.

 

[Akshat]

No thats why I asked you about the link right!? Pls give the link.

Well it's ok .....u can keep going on with ur mindset and theory

I gave you the exact source. Go and google. I don’t wanna waste my time because I know you won’t even read it. I sent you DPP. Have you read it till date?

And my theory was that mk2 will be delayed. It is. My theory was that mk1a will be delayed. Proven right again. All my theories regarding HAL have been proven right.

 

[Ashutosh]

I gave you the exact source. Go and google. I don’t wanna waste my time because I know you won’t even read it. I sent you DPP. Have you read it till date?

And my theory was that mk2 will be delayed. It is. My theory was that mk1a will be delayed. Proven right again. All my theories regarding HAL have been proven right.

I searched it ...... nowhere it is shown.....every source say production is of 11-15 aircraft/ year.

 

[Pink Panther]

Again lies. Dassault has said it can deliver jets within 36 months. As for Indian weapons, already agreements have been signed and work is under progress. So plain lies just to defame our military’s first choice Rafale, nothing else.

They have to deliver 300 jets before that, may be 36 months after delivering 300 jet @the rate 6-8/year, they didn’t even a.low India to access the source code in Mirage, how come they will allow in Rafale, if they do it will be a miracle.

 

[Frank]

Indian armed forces are competent and know what they require. Don't worry, no lobby chandigarh or chanderi matters. Don't worry Mk2 will also be brought, let it first fly. Have patience

IAF is incompetent

 

[Pink Panther]

It will come in 3 years. As for Mk2 and AMCA, they ain’t coming in this decade or the next.

May be Used Rafales, not new ones, they need to deliver 200-300 Rafales to other foreign customers, Saudi might order 80-100 Rafale’s even before India to add more to the backlog, even to setup manufacturing Infra in India it will take 3-5 years provided India signs a deal for Rafale next month right after the elections, what happens if BJ doesn’t win outright majority or looses, by that time MK2 will be ready, then what is the point of buying another 4th gen foreign jet.

 

[Akshat]

I searched it ...... nowhere it is shown.....every source say production is of 11-15 aircraft/ year.

Answer the question. Have you read the DPP yet which I sent you?

 

[Akshat]

They have to deliver 300 jets before that, may be 36 months after delivering 300 jet @the rate 6-8/year, they didn’t even a.low India to access the source code in Mirage, how come they will allow in Rafale, if they do it will be a miracle.

Brand new jets, in 36 months from deal signing. At 16 per year.

 

[BCharlie]

First of all I haven't heard of anything about 2 Rafales per month..... kindly provide link .... secondly, just as I said no need to pull out conclusions........ Dassault have been making jets from ages while LCA was our first project.....there isn't even a comparison.
LCA mk2 can easily join service in 6 -8 years . While Dassault still won't have completed their backlog.

Sirji, Google it.. "Rafale production per month" .. its very clear that from 2 per month it is going to increase to 3 per month in 2024. All defense journals, mags & news letters state so.. one link out of many out there:

Dassault to Ramp Up Rafale Production to Meet Rising Demand: CEO

Dassault Aviation will increase Rafale fighter jet’s monthly production from two to three by the end of 2024, CEO Eric Trapiier said.

www.thedefensepost.com

 

[BCharlie]

I searched it ...... nowhere it is shown.....every source say production is of 11-15 aircraft/ year.

Sirji, I am surprised you cannot find it; just type in google search : Rafales production per month .. sit back & enjoy, no ... learn the show.

 

[BCharlie]

They have to deliver 300 jets before that, may be 36 months after delivering 300 jet @the rate 6-8/year, they didn’t even a.low India to access the source code in Mirage, how come they will allow in Rafale, if they do it will be a miracle.

Sirji, its 3 Rafales per month.. half a Rafale per month. Source code.. French are not naiive.

 

[Pink Panther]

Sirji, its 3 Rafales per month.. half a Rafale per month. Source code.. French are not naiive.

😂 3/month.

 

[BCharlie]

Tejas took 19 years for first flight. And then 17 for FOC. Mk2 is taking at least 21, assuming flight happens in 2026 with no more delays. So induction before 2040 is simply impossible.

As for MEFA, delivery is possible within 3 years after orders are placed (assuming Rafale wins) and Made in India planes within 5 years.

Yes Sirji, tracking its history, the Tejas program was initiated in Oct 1986. The initial contract of 20 aircraft for INR 2,813 crores was signed in March 2006, and after several tests and evaluations, it got an IOC on January 10, 2011. The first squadron of Tejas under the 2006 contract was formed on July 1, 2016, three decades after the start of the program.

 

[BCharlie]

😂 3/month.

Yes sir, 3 per month is 36 Rafales a year.. You had actually stated in yr comment .. 6-8 per yr. Presently production is 24 per yr (2 per mth) to be increased in 2024 to 36 per yr (3 per mth); Regardless, if we place order on them now (now for us means order in another 2 to 3 yrs) then in queue our number to start production for us will come in about 10 yrs from now. By that time Rafale what we order wld be obsolete.

 

[Pink Panther]

Yes sir, 3 per month is 36 Rafales a year.. You had actually stated in yr comment .. 6-8 per yr. Presently production is 24 per yr (2 per mth) to be increased in 2024 to 36 per yr (3 per mth); Regardless, if we place order on them now (now for us means order in another 2 to 3 yrs) then in queue our number to start production for us will come in about 10 yrs from now. By that time Rafale what we order wld be obsolete.

By that Mk2 will be ready, them why we need a foreign 4th gen jet.

 

[Ajath]

IAF is incompetent

What have you achieved
in life except for ridiculing and others ?