Rafale a Strong Contender for India's MRFA Tender Due to IAF Familiarity, But US Govt Pressuring India to Choose F-16 Viper: French Media

[Vinay Kumar]

Rafale-M is 400 millions usd per jet dude! $161 million usd base jet price... Dassault says that F3R base price in 2014 is 102 millions usd. So, for 10 years inflations at 6% year upon year going on compounded effect makes base price for Rafale-M at 161 millions usd in 2024 year!! Therefore F4.2 will be 200 millions usd base price and total lifetime ops costs at 500 millions usd next year!!

Quantity matter along with infrastructure (existing or not) so it will be cheaper, when compared to inflation adjustion price (if ToT is factor is kept the same)

 

[Robin]

Only rafale should be taken due to commonality issues.

It would be Uber stupid to select a different vendor now with different support facilities ,logistics hubs etc.

 

[NSR]

Not going to happen as 114 jets will cost over $30 billion. Poor country like India can't afford it. Base price of Rafale in nearly $170 million.

I think they will go for a G2G for 36 to 54 additional Rafales.
And that is what I was writing for a long time too.

 

[Robin]

I think they will go for a G2G for 36 to 54 additional Rafales.
And that is what I was writing for a long time too.

That is the logical thing to do rather than having 10 different fighter types with different training ,logistics and weapons.

Commonality should be the goal to keep the prices down in long term.

 

[Robin]

Currently, F21 is the lowest priced western jet in reality.....!!

There is no plane called F-21 as of yet.Its a lollipop like su-75 checkmate.

 

[kunites]

USA already stated to India very clearly - "Handover one full S400 battery to USA and then we will give you F35A's for IAF".....

IAF should stop getting confused and go for Rafale as it was already the winner amongst the same contender in previous MRFA. Also Indian government should not bow to US pressure to select a 1970 designed aircraft

 

[Saptarshi Ray]

There is no plane called F-21 as of yet.Its a lollipop like su-75 checkmate.

F-21 is a F-16 block 70 with F-35 like cockpit and composite materials, triple missile launchers and Gallium nitride version of APG-83 and other EW systems. Comparing Su-75 which has not flown with a proven airframe is naive. It is a F-16 block 70 but with elements of F-35 Block 4 since india requires a 4.5 gen jet with modern avionics and cheaper price USA has pitched this. But again I would say getting something is better than nothing. If Rafale does not work out , su-57 does not work out F-21 will give us something. My ideal choice would have been F-15EX but again it is a heavy fighter in Su-30 category so we won’t have it . Eurofighter typhoon has multiple issues . Gripen e is another fighter I would be happy with if Rafale doesn’t win due to price

 

[Anant]

F-16 with Latest upgrade in Ukraine which falled from the sky was not able to seen again in Ukraine sky & hope it will not seen either or even if its flown it will not able to make major Impact for Ukraine against Russia so Ukraine Battle field is real evaluation for F-16

Not sure where you are getting your news from, but F-16s are most certainly flying in Ukraine. You do realise not every single operation is going to be reported in the news, right?

 

[sanket]

Not sure where you are getting your news from, but F-16s are most certainly flying in Ukraine. You do realise not every single operation is going to be reported in the news, right?

you are wrong , Source for ur claim that F-16 are in operation in Ukraine

 

[amerjit johal]

eventually it will Benefit Bharat

What time frame exactly do you think eventually is ?

 

[sanket]

What time frame exactly do you think eventually is ?

Let the process of MRFA start & one who meets All parameters set by IAF for MRFA & Winner is announce, & IAF know better when to start MRFA Circus

 

[Robin]

F-21 is a F-16 block 70 with F-35 like cockpit and composite materials, triple missile launchers and Gallium nitride version of APG-83 and other EW systems. Comparing Su-75 which has not flown with a proven airframe is naive. It is a F-16 block 70 but with elements of F-35 Block 4 since india requires a 4.5 gen jet with modern avionics and cheaper price USA has pitched this. But again I would say getting something is better than nothing. If Rafale does not work out , su-57 does not work out F-21 will give us something. My ideal choice would have been F-15EX but again it is a heavy fighter in Su-30 category so we won’t have it . Eurofighter typhoon has multiple issues . Gripen e is another fighter I would be happy with if Rafale doesn’t win due to price

Its a wrong step.We already have rafale,just top it up.No need to have 10 different set of equipments.

And I would reiterate ,F-21 is a thing they are offering only for India and it is not under any service and is not expected to be.Just a lollipop for stupid Indian defence planners.

We area poor nation ,economy is barely going to tough 4 trillion with huge population.Why not act a bit smart by getting similar equipment in good numbers.Just like elections every 3 months ,we have these stupid new RFI and contracts every few years.

I am not fan of rafale ,in my opinion it's just obsolete vs j-20 based on stealth alone ,it would be seen first and shot at first.So ideally yes I agree with u 100 percent we should have gone with F-15 silent eagle just based on better stealth than rafale.But that ship has sailed ,we already have rafale and for the sake of making process easier and more integration we should get these only.

All the effort and time for stealth and other features should be spent on amca.

I have said many times already,the new gen war with extensive esm ,jamming ,sir defence won't be determined by air force especially against capable opponents( China ) so better strategy is to be able to build everything and fast. Only forces that can replace the lost equipment have any chance of winning the modern war.

 

[Anant]

you are wrong , Source for ur claim that F-16 are in operation in Ukraine

This is an older article (before the F-16 loss), but I'll come to that after the URL: (As always, please remove the parentheses.)

Ukraine’s F-16s Have Scored Their First Aerial Kills

The nimble jets reportedly shot down Russian cruise missiles on Monday.

www.forbes.com

Now, coming to recent news, as I mentioned, normal operations are not going to make the news. If a F-16, or a MiG-29, or an American F-35, or an Indian Su-30MKI, or any other aircraft for that matter, engages in normal operations and comes out fine, that is just business as usual. News is only made when something out of plan happens, which hasn't happened after the first F-16 loss. What may well have happened is that the Ukrainians may have deployed them on defensive operations instead, which is still operational use.

Also, do you actually have any source that says F-16s were withdrawn from operations? If not, I have a logical analogy to show that they would be continuing operations:

F-16 operations were happening at one point (this is a fact). So were other aircraft and other Western assets being used. Losses of those other aircraft and other Western assets have not led to their withdrawl. Hence, without evidence specifically stating so, it can be assumed to be correct that the F-16 is still engaged in normal operations.

 

[Aloutte]

There is no plane called F-21 as of yet.Its a lollipop like su-75 checkmate.

Not really, F21 is Block 72 with a powerful computer, GE F110 engine that produce 146.4 KN thrust almost same power as twin engine Rafale and some hi tech equipments shared from F35.

 

[Aloutte]

US can't supply anything on time due to political supply chain issues. Neither engines, nor drones, nor Apaches. What makes you think they can supply 114 fighter jets on time.

Better than Dassault that took 6 years to supply only 36 jets.

 

[Muthukumar Ponnambalam]

I knew LM will be. It's knows for it's "ways of winning the deal", as they're published documents.

Also, the LM CEO met the PM and the USA will thrust LM, GE etc down the throat of India and India may not have a choice but to budge.

The least India could do is to say "either F-35 or no deal". Not a decades old F-16 however it's rebranded or repackaged.