Which begs the obvious question, “why select a foreign fighter at all if Tejas is so capable”?

We good Indian love to make good friendship with our allies, which means that we sometimes have to be kind and generous enough to buy some overpriced foreign garbage that is no better than our beautiful, perfect, and cheap domestic products from our poor and customer-less foreign friends, otherwise those poor guys may be starved to death:stupid:

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-govt-looking-to-conclude-rafale-deal-next-month-manohar-parrikar-2216867

Manohar Parrikar, the Defence Minister who cries Rafale: “The Rafale is coming !! The Rafale is coming !! The Rafale is coming soooooo~~~~n this June !!!”

http://www.fmn.dk/temaer/kampfly/Documents/typevalg-af-danmarks-kommende-kampfly-reduceret-vers-20160509.pdf

* NTISR: non-traditional intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (sea surveillance, anti-drug or piracy, rescue mission etc).
* SCAR: strike coordination and reconnaissance (such as the mission of searching and hunting ISIS target in a densely populated city).
* CAS: close air support (Thunderbolt-styled jobs).
* DCA: defensive counter air (Fighting with Su-30SM, Su-35, T-50 etc).
* AI: air interdiction (Bombing Russia).
* SEAD/DEAD (The Hunt for Red S300/400/500).

Scoring of survivability for the different missions (5.0 as the highest grade):
* F-35A: NTISR 5.0，SCAR 5.0，CAS 5.0，DCA 5.0，AI 4.0，SEAD/DEAD 4.0; Average: 4.7
* EF-2K: NTISR 5.0，SCAR 4.5，CAS 3.5，DCA 3.0，AI 1.0，SEAD/DEAD 2.0; Average: 3.2
* F-18F: NTISR 5.0，SCAR 4.5，CAS 4.5，DCA 3.0，AI 1.0，SEAD/DEAD 1.0; Average: 3.2
* F-16C: NTISR 5.0，SCAR 5.0，CAS 2.0，DCA 1.0，AI 1.0，SEAD/DEAD 1.0; Average: 2.5

Scoring of effectiveness for the different missions (5.0 as the highest grade):
* F-35A: NTISR 4.3，SCAR 3.3，CAS 3.6，DCA 3.6，AI 5.0，SEAD/DEAD 5.0; Average: 4.2
* EF-2K: NTISR 2.7，SCAR 2.3，CAS 2.7，DCA 3.0，AI 2.0，SEAD/DEAD 2.0; Average: 2.4
* F-18F: NTISR 3.3，SCAR 3.0，CAS 3.3，DCA 2.0，AI 2.0，SEAD/DEAD 2.0; Average: 2.6
* F-16C: NTISR 2.3，SCAR 2.7，CAS 2.3，DCA 1.0，AI 1.0，SEAD/DEAD 1.0; Average: 1.7

Mr. Parrikar: “We will finalize the deal sooooooooooooooooooo~~~~~~~~~n!!!!”:stupid:

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/economy/negotiations-on-rafale-deal-far-from-over-manohar-parrikar-tells-rajya-sabha/247888/

One correction Toan there are 8 IPAs in total! Germany built one as part of each tranche. IPA8 has yet to fly however.

Thanks for correction.

If the customer just wants the CAPTOR radar today with a new swashplated AESA array, then it shall be ready for sale after 2017.

If the customer wants the new modes and the new capabilities (such as electronic attack) for the new radar, then the customer may have to wait a little longer (post-2020).

It may just like the difference between Rafale F1 and Rafale F3, or JAS-39A/B and JAS-39C/D ~ Most of, or Entire of the computer systems, softwares, avionics, electric wires and power system , and cooling system have been changed.

http://www.janes.com/article/59243/raf-to-field-retained-tranche-1-typhoons-as-stand-alone-air-defence-force

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is to field as a separate air defence force the Tranche 1 (T1) Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft that are to be retained in service beyond their original retirement date.

The 24 T1 aircraft that were extended from 2019 to the wider Typhoon out-of-service date (OSD) of 2040 in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) of November 2015 will be formed into two distinct air defence squadrons, rather than being mixed with other T2 and T3 aircraft in other multirole units, Deputy Commander of Operations Air Marshal Greg Bagwell told reporters on 30 March.

“The issue was how to operate the Tranche 1 alongside the Tranche 2 and 3 as there is very little spares commonality between them, so it was decided that the plan [should be] for two new squadrons of Tranche 1 Typhoons,” AM Bagwell said.

Given the software limitations of the T1, the RAF has decided not to try and upgrade these particular platforms with the Phase Enhancement upgrade packages that will afford the T2 and T3 platforms with the full swing-role capability set. As such, they will be used solely for air defence duties, and perhaps for adversarial air combat training for other RAF aircraft types.

“The Tranche 1s will be used purely for air defence, as an upgrade [for swing-role] will be prohibitively expensive. The two squadrons of Tranche 1 Typhoons will own the air defence role, and we are also looking at using them for ‘red air’ along with the Hawk,” AM Bagwell noted.