Article from IDSA

IDSA COMMENT

Rafale Wins the MMRCA Competition
Also comments about the IAF Mirage 2000 experience

The IAF had always rooted for the Rafale and hence it should be happy and satisfied over a job well done considering the complexity and the time delays involved when a large number of decision makers are in the loop. One of the reasons the IAF favoured this fighter, besides intrinsic merit, is its experience with the Mirage-2000 fighters acquired in 1984-85. The Mirage was used first in the opening phase in Sri Lanka. Later the Mirage also proved its superior technology during the 1999 Kargil conflict when the small enemy targets at high altitude could not be successfully engaged with other strike fighters. The Mirage-2000 fleet has maintained a very high serviceability and utilisation rate and above all an unbelievably envious flight safety record. It is hoped that the Rafale would prove equally effective and economical in the long run. The main reason for the high serviceability of the Mirage-2000 fleet, I am told, is the near instant availability of spares and technical support from the French Dassault and the Thales team, and a state of the art avionics laboratory in Gwalior that is more sterile than the best hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Considering that the quality of technical manpower is about the same across the IAF, it must be the Western technology, training and SOPs formulated by the French and the constantly close interaction between the user and the provider that are responsible for the success of the Mirage-2000 fleet. It is perhaps for this reason that India has chosen to upgrade the Mirage-2000 fleet for a whopping USD 1.8 billion. The IAF will surely do the same with the Rafale to obtain timely spares and maintenance support.

Meanwhile back and forth between the Indian and UK media continues…

Wake up and smell the curry: India spurns Mother England’s peanuts

BA, interesting article by Air Cmde Khokar there , a bit funny too;)

Nothing wrong in Mr Lake’s expression of “great potential” in Typhoon. IAF believed in that potential and that’s why EF managed to clear the evaluation criteria.

Nobody is saying the Typhoon is a bad aircraft , after all it passed IAF’s tactical flight evaluations.Particularly wrt air to air , I would keep it among top 5 aircraft operational today.But Jon Lake’s comments come across as condescending.
I would take Scorpion82’s opinions 365 days a year instead.

Anyhoo…coming back to topic..

Seems like the French are going to have their hands full till the deal is signed..

UK team raises Eurofighter losing bid with MoD

Less than a week after the EADS Eurofighter lost out on a bid to supply 126 fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force, the United Kingdom has raised the matter with the Defence Ministry, insisting that the combat aircraft is better than the French Rafale that has emerged as the lowest bidder.

Sources said the matter was raised on Monday by UK’s Minister for International Security Strategy Gerald Howarth who met Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju on Monday. The visiting delegation reportedly told the Defence Ministry that it was disappointed at the choice as the Eurofighter is a better aircraft.

Also there are reports of Bae considering a price cut…

So I guess it aint over until..and all that.

How come he flew for the Iraqis for two years in the Iraq-Iran war? I know Iraq and India had some common Socialist/Communist/Stalinist allegiances, but never knew it actually went beyond covert WMD/missile assistance.

Check this http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1990s/Rajkumar-Iraq.html
and http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1990s/BewoorOsirak.html
It has nothing to do with any ideological allegiance.

why?The commercial bids were not submitted at the time of tac evals so how could anyone know?

Note:

There are some reservations about the technical capabilities of the Rafale.

What could those be?

But Rafale was IAF’s “the choice” even though the typhoon was shortlisted.

Risky concept I would say..what do they do before landing dump the entire fuel into the sea or..?

Yeah +1 to TooCool and Swerve there.This is the first time I have read something from Jon Lake where he is actually complimentary to the Rafale.
At first i too did a double take on that one!:D