IAF May Seek 24 Aircraft Annual Production in 114-Jet MRFA Tender, But It Has Financial Implications for Vendor and MoD

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is setting an ambitious pace for its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, aiming to procure 114 advanced fighter jets with a significantly higher production rate than initially anticipated.

Sources indicate that the IAF is pushing for the production of 24 aircraft per year, a substantial increase from the previously considered rate of 10-14 units annually. This accelerated timeline, while aimed at rapidly bolstering India's defence capabilities, is expected to increase costs for winning vendor and Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The MRFA program, a critical component of the IAF's modernization efforts, seeks to address operational demands and strengthen defenses across multiple fronts. By accelerating production to 24 jets annually, the IAF aims to quickly integrate these advanced aircraft into its fleet, enhancing its combat readiness.

However, this increased production rate comes with significant financial implications. To meet this demanding target, the winning vendor will need to establish a robust local production infrastructure, potentially requiring larger facilities, additional tooling, and a larger workforce.

These factors will translate into increased capital investment for the MoD. Furthermore, the need for technology transfer, workforce training, and supply chain scaling will add to the overall program cost.

The proposed production target also presents operational and logistical challenges. Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) will need to demonstrate the capacity to ramp up production to meet the IAF's requirements. This may prove challenging given India's current infrastructure and the need for seamless integration of the supply chain.

Maintaining stringent quality standards under an accelerated production timeline is crucial. Close coordination between the OEM and its Indian partners will be essential to ensure that quality is not compromised in the pursuit of rapid production.

Finally, the increased production rate could introduce additional regulatory hurdles, requiring close collaboration between Indian authorities and foreign partners to ensure compliance with defence manufacturing standards.

While the IAF's push for a higher production rate underscores the urgency of its modernization efforts, it also highlights the need for careful planning and execution to manage the associated costs and logistical challenges. The MRFA program remains a key focus for India's defence sector, and its outcome will significantly shape the IAF's capabilities in the coming decades.

 

[tipoo2]

No other options 🙃😹 just go for su57 or su75 so we can deal a Indianize version of al51 engine 😺

The Su-57 has barely just gotten the stamp of maturity in the Su-57M model, and we have yet to see that delivered either, 10 years after flying.

The Su-75 hasn't even flown yet. So let's not get trapped into that where they're trying to find another country to fund its development in a FGFA 2.0

 

[Ayyadurai Namasivayam]

If we consider price then rafale will be out. If eurofighter reduces its price we can go with eurofighter. Now it seems there are stiff competition. Now It is time for US to give their permission to sale f35 to India

 

[tipoo2]

Fake stealth fighters. Our 20 old Sukhoi can see their fighter using our IRST

You can see an F35 in IRST range. But at what range do you think our 20 year old Sukhoi with a 15-20m2 radar cross section is going to be detected first?

This is no reason to take comfort and sit on our hands. Of course I certainly think the Virupaksha/Super Su-30 upgrade is a vital near term bandaid.

 

[Sandeep]

Forget about producing that many fighters but first at least pick which jet and make a deal.

This deal will never happen as it’s too expensive as we won’t get a large amount of critical technology and we won’t get to manufacture most of it in India with Indian materials or content.

The only solution is to quickly manufacture the Tejas MK1A as soon as possible and fix whatever problems it’s facing but only make 83 jets. Also they need to manufacture the prototype for Tejas MK2 and the AMCA jets very quickly and certify it as soon as possible. After that they should give a license to several private companies to setup several production lines who can manufacture the jets on time and to a high quality. They should increase the amount of Tejas MK2 we order to at least 200+ as it can hold more weapons, be more advanced and have better capabilities than the Tejas MK1A.

 

[123Stormtrooper]

Four will clear technical bids. Typhoon, Rafale F15 and Gripen. Gripen wil then win Commercial bid hands down ...unless there is some pricing formula that takes into account single engine and double engine price equalization. If that happens than one of the the other threee....ie Typhoon or Rafale will win.

 

[Akshat]

About Mig 35 I didn't consider Russian planes if they are going to even offer Su-57 I am not considering it for now!!! Ahh F-21 aka F-16 you should know it Taiwan is waiting for the delivery and it is going to take time!!!

So tell me which planes you are referring is same from the last ones apart from Russian and f-16 that doesn't need to evaluate!!

Dassault target was to reach 24 aircraft and they got 13... Leave it according to you if they are targeting 15 from 12 already and still they are just managing to add just 1 more in the order of more than 180 aircraft and you are saying they are doing surplus production just wow man!!
I don't know how rate has been breached, 2 aircraft per month they planned but still upto Aug they are able to make only 7 how things are calculated here don't know!!

You are directly jumping on conclusion even Dassault are not sure if you give them these timelines!!

Well LM says F21 is a new plane. But whatever.

Su35 and F15 are new. Typhoon and Gripen are old, but with new features. F18 too.

Dassault target was 15 last year(2023) and they reached 13. Their target this year (2024) was 20 but reaching 3 jets per month by the year end. They are set to cross 20 but not the 3 jet per month target.

Now let’s do the math. They have a backlog of 211 as of 2024 start. They will make 22 this year. Then 24 per year for next 9 years (they have to deliver all those jets by 2033), at least. That makes it 238 planes, so a surplus of 27 planes at least. If they reach 3 jets per month next year, then the surplus is even more.

Please read the interview of their CEO. He has said that they made 2 planes since March. He reiterated the same in August as well.

So please get the facts right before jumping to conclusions bro.

 

[Avatar]

The best scenario would be where a production line is established in India, The plane is manufactured both in India and at the OEM's facility. This is the only way IAF can achieve a 24 aircraft per year rate. Making 24 aircraft in India alone is a pipe dream.

 

[Abs29]

As of 2024, Dassault has an outstanding order of just over 300 aircraft, of which 261 are for foreign markets. Therefore even assuming Dassault steps up production and manufactures 36 airframes per year or 3 a month, even then we are tentatively looking at least 7-8 years before Indian order enters production and another year before they start to be delivered.

That is assuming that Rafale is ordered in bulk today. Which itself is unlikely. Secondly the government has already indicated to IAF if at all additional Rafale have to be procured they will be procured in 2-3 batches of 36-54 airframes each. Bulk procurement of Rafale is simply too fiscally unaffordable option.

Thirdly, with recent emphasis on production rate, I am afraid Rafale simply wont comply with requested timelines. The IAF will have to compromise on its requirement and go for something else.

 

[Anurag]

Well LM says F21 is a new plane. But whatever.

Su35 and F15 are new. Typhoon and Gripen are old, but with new features. F18 too.

Dassault target was 15 last year(2023) and they reached 13. Their target this year (2024) was 20 but reaching 3 jets per month by the year end. They are set to cross 20 but not the 3 jet per month target.

Now let’s do the math. They have a backlog of 211 as of 2024 start. They will make 22 this year. Then 24 per year for next 9 years (they have to deliver all those jets by 2033), at least. That makes it 238 planes, so a surplus of 27 planes at least. If they reach 3 jets per month next year, then the surplus is even more.

Please read the interview of their CEO. He has said that they made 2 planes since March. He reiterated the same in August as well.

So please get the facts right before jumping to conclusions bro.

Giving new name doesn't mean it is a new plane!!

Even Rafale has several upgrades!!
Now comes to Dassault they are not able to meet last desire timeline which was just 3 planes(to you 15)(for me it is 24)...
According to your math they will not get any further orders from anyone untill 2033 so they will surplus delivery!! How naive this calculation is even you are saying they will meet, let's wait for this year to end then decide whats going with the Dassault.... If they are going to meet their own target or not!!!
I am just waiting for the Navy's deal at what timeline they are getting their planes!!

GE is not able to deliver engines for almost 2 years so just and their ceo says a lot too!! Every company do that and nothing wrong in it!!

 

[Akshat]

Giving new name doesn't mean it is a new plane!!

Even Rafale has several upgrades!!
Now comes to Dassault they are not able to meet last desire timeline which was just 3 planes(to you 15)(for me it is 24)...
According to your math they will not get any further orders from anyone untill 2033 so they will surplus delivery!! How naive this calculation is even you are saying they will meet, let's wait for this year to end then decide whats going with the Dassault.... If they are going to meet their own target or not!!!
I am just waiting for the Navy's deal at what timeline they are getting their planes!!

GE is not able to deliver engines for almost 2 years so just and their ceo says a lot too!! Every company do that and nothing wrong in it!!

LM says it is a new plane and not a variant of F16. So let’s go by what the manufacturer says, no? At least IAF will have to treat it as such and then only they can pass the judgement.

As for Rafale, what you think doesn’t matter. Dassault’s official statement says their target was 15 in 2023. They delivered 13. That’s written in their official year end report to the shareholders.

And if you are saying that let’s wait till the end of this year, shouldn’t that also be applicable to you? Or you wanna say that let’s criticize Dassault and talk about slow deliveries of Rafale till the end of this year but wait to say anything good while their CEO has said that they have ‘already’ reached the speed of 2 jets monthly?

Has GE’s CEO ever said they have delivered 2 engines to I dis per month and then it was found that they didn’t?

 

[Anurag]

LM says it is a new plane and not a variant of F16. So let’s go by what the manufacturer says, no? At least IAF will have to treat it as such and then only they can pass the judgement.

As for Rafale, what you think doesn’t matter. Dassault’s official statement says their target was 15 in 2023. They delivered 13. That’s written in their official year end report to the shareholders.

And if you are saying that let’s wait till the end of this year, shouldn’t that also be applicable to you? Or you wanna say that let’s criticize Dassault and talk about slow deliveries of Rafale till the end of this year but wait to say anything good while their CEO has said that they have ‘already’ reached the speed of 2 jets monthly?

Has GE’s CEO ever said they have delivered 2 engines to I dis per month and then it was found that they didn’t?

Well as you say their annual report say they just delivered 13 so actually missed it by 2 jets?? Right?? So they actually missed their own target set by them!!
I am saying they are able to manufacture only 7 jets upto Aug!! So basically I am referring here that it's not that easy to scale up the production!!
I am not criticizing Dassault but I don't know when you are able to make this up!! I even didn't mention anything about slow deliveries!! About 2 jets per month according to their CEO but actually they are able to make it or not how did you know?? So I said wait for the time it will be more clear for both of us how many jets they are able to make!!

They are the one who are proposing the timelines and they are the one who are missing it!! They said they will deliver it to this month and then this month and still they end up missing it!! So how unfortunate that people love to criticize other of this but when it comes to someone else they just want to avoid it!!

P.S. I really don't want to criticize anyone or any company here!! About GE if they are really struggling then it just a mirror to the people that well stabilized people can struggle then everyone can!!
About Dassault I am just saying that how they are going to propose the timeline of deliveries if they are going to win the tender!! Didn't mention anything like slow deliveries!!

 

[subash]

I had the privilege to work with former Hal employee at top position in 1997 and also a technician while working abroad. I had personaly visited HAL and NAl. while i was working on telecom products in baglore the picture i got from my colleague regarding work culture in HAL was horrible and when i visited NAl it was a similar shock exept for the wind tunnel tester in NAL other projects were gathering dust. Even then ongoing work in tejas was horrible (1997 period). i feel hal should be propped up with private hand with lesser red tape to emerge as a true giant like ISRO.

 

[kunitesh]

Decide between Rafale and Eurofighter whichever supplier provides more tech transfer and help our own engine development program and establish local production lines..set a target of 18 which is more realistic...if IAF and GOI can wait for a decade and more to even launch a RFP..they can easily wait a year or two more for all aircrafts to be delivered

 

[PROMOD]

For IAF It's better to go for another 90 Rafale with a diplomatic and financial bargain with Republic of France...

 

[Gajanan Hirde]

Top contenders in my opinion:

1. Rafale (agreed for production line in India).
2. EF Typhoon
3. F-15 eagle 2 ( Good service in America)
4. Gripen E ( SAAB is not a reliable partner)
5. F-21 ( Basically F-16 with better avionics and frame & radars) doesn't provide better edge ober Pak F16.

Problem is with the decision making and political will. Our office bearers are yet to decide what to buy?

 

[Gajanan Hirde]

Our Political fraternity in dilemma to take an affirmative decision. No body knows what to do, whether to make in India or to buy as CBU. So many years passed by.... no concrete decision

 

[Foxbat]

there was news that SU-57 is going to be part of the lineup, let’s see.

Su-57 should not be in picture at all after the Russian fiasco costing the GoI 300 million. Walking out of the collaboration due to dissatisfaction over Russian's unwillingness to cooperate is already enough. After all Su-57 has nothing impressive to offer as a 5th gen fighter.