The Indian Navy is in the midst of a historic shift, and at its center is the Dassault Rafale-M (Marine) fighter aircraft. The purchase of the Rafale-M represents a key development in further bolstering India’s naval air capabilities, empowering the nation to better protect its maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region (IOR). With superior avionics, unparalleled manoeuvrability, advanced combat systems, and established carrier compatibility, the Rafale-M will redefine carrier warfare for the Indian Navy.
With China’s naval forces becoming increasingly present in the IOR, the commission of India’s indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, and an imperative for a cutting-edge multi-role fighter for carrier operations, the move to acquire 26 Rafale-M fighters has arrived at a significant juncture. Being an established naval combat aircraft used by the French Navy, the Rafale-M is a force multiplier available to the Indian Navy, providing air superiority, maritime strike capability, and strategic deterrence.
Why Did the Indian Navy Choose Rafale-M?
The Indian Navy has operated the MiG-29K for years as its primary carrier-based fighter. The aircraft, however, has suffered significant operational problems, including:
- High maintenance costs and repeated technical faults.
- Low reliability, with consequent low availability rates.
- Inferior avionics and electronic warfare systems compared to modern fighters
To replace the MiG-29K, the Indian Navy shortlisted two candidates:
- Dassault Rafale-M (Marine version of French Rafale)
- Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet (Evaluated American carrier-based fighter)
Both the jets were rigorously tested at INS Hansa in Goa, where the Navy also tested their suitability with India’s Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) aircraft carriers. Rafale-M got the contract due to several important advantages, which are:
1. STOBAR Aircraft Carrier compatibility
- Rafale-M successfully tested its ability to operate from a ski-jump ramp, confirming its suitability for INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
- The aircraft’s arrestor hook and landing gear system were found to be highly effective for arrested recovery operations.
2. Established Carrier-Based Performance
- The French Navy has been using Rafale-M from its aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle, for decades, establishing its performance in real combat operations.
- Unlike the F/A-18 Super Hornet, which was primarily designed for Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) carriers, Rafale-M found it relatively simpler to adapt to India’s STOBAR carriers.
3. Multi-Role Combat Capabilities
Rafale-M is a genuine multi-role fighter with the ability to carry out diverse missions, including:
- Air Superiority: Killing and destroying enemy aircraft using its long-range Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM).
- Sea Strike: Sinking enemy warships and submarines with Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles.
- Ground Strike Missions: Attacking ground targets with SCALP cruise missiles and Hammer precision-guided bombs.
- Electronic Warfare & Espionage: Employing the Spectra Electronic Warfare Suite to jam adversary radars and sensors.
4. Advanced Combat Weapons and Systems
The Rafale-M is armed with a formidable array of weapons, providing the Indian Navy with unparalleled combat dominance:
- Meteor BVRAAM: Advanced missile that enables Rafale-M to attack hostile aircraft at more than 150 km, providing supremacist air dominance.
- Exocet AM39 Anti-Ship Missile: Proven combat missile to sink hostile warships and prevent hostile naval forces from entering.
- SCALP Cruise Missile: Low-radar-visibility, long-range missile capable of delivering precision strikes to deep-inland targets.
- Hammer Precision-Guided Bombs: Best suited for striking enemy military installations, even in GPS-denied environments.
- MICA Short-Range Missiles: Close-range combat air to give Rafale-M the ability to neutralize threats during combat.
5. Greater Interoperability with the Indian Air Force
- As the Indian Air Force (IAF) is already operating 36 Rafale aircraft, the supply chain, spares, and pilot training center for Rafale-M would be mostly streamlined.
- Commonality is a money-saver in operational costs and enhances fleet integration, enabling joint operations for the Indian Navy and Air Force.
Also Read, Rafale M Vs TEDBF: A Comparison
How Rafale-M Will Revolutionise India’s Naval Capability
The Indo-Pacific is observing increased tensions as China spreads its military tentacles in the Indian Ocean and brazenly lays claims on the South China Sea. As a counterpoint, the Indian Navy needs to deploy an elite carrier-based combat jet that would hold sway in the skies, provide deep strike capability, and defend India’s seas.
1. Strengthening India’s Aircraft Carrier Strike Forces
With INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya at the core of India’s Carrier Battle Groups (CBGs), Rafale-M will:
- Grant air superiority over contested waters, allowing Indian forces to operate with absolute control of maritime airspace.
- Carry out preemptive attacks on rival naval bases to ensure that competitors would not be able to challenge India’s superiority in the Indian Ocean.
- Protect the fleet from air and missile attacks using sophisticated electronic warfare and countermeasures.
2. Counterbalancing China’s Growing Maritime Presence
China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has continued to increase naval deployments, stationing aircraft carriers such as Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian in the Indo-Pacific. Moreover, China has set up military bases in Djibouti, Gwadar (Pakistan), and Hambantota (Sri Lanka), growing its strategic influence in the IOR. Rafale-M will enable the Indian Navy to:
- Monitor and counter Chinese warships and submarines deployed in the IOR.
- Adopt Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) tactics, precluding enemy naval power from having a presence in crucial locations.
- Use deterrence patrols off chokepoints like the Malacca Strait to ensure freedom of navigation for India and its allies.
3. Getting Ready for India’s Future Aircraft Carriers
- India will construct an indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-2, INS Vishal) with a CATOBAR launch system.
- Rafale-M is already CATOBAR-capable, hence the best fighter for future Indian carriers.
4. Enhancement of Maritime Strike Capability
The Exocet AM39 missile will allow Rafale-M to strike at enemy warships within a range of over 70 km and provide stand-off strike capability.
- The SCALP cruise missile will render the Rafale-M with the capability for deep-strike missions against enemy military installations, command centers, and infrastructure.
- The air-to-air refueling capability of the aircraft will enhance its operational range and facilitate long-endurance missions over the open seas.
Challenges and the Way Forward
1. Fleet Expansion & Future Acquisitions
- Although the first batch of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets is a leap, the Indian Navy may need additional squadrons to take both the INS Vikrant and the INS Vikramaditya to its maximum operational limit.
2. Infrastructure Development
- The upgrading of naval airbases, as well as repair and maintenance hangars and pilot training facilities, will be necessary to guarantee the long-term viability of the Rafale-M fleet.
3. Indigenous Alternatives
- India is in the process of creating the Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF), a future indigenous carrier-based aircraft replacement.
In the meanwhile, until the operational induction of the TEDBF, the Rafale-M will continue to be a force multiplier for Indian naval aviation.
Conclusion: A Game-Changer for India’s Naval Future
The induction of Rafale-M is a landmark event in the history of the Indian Navy. With cutting-edge avionics, heavy firepower, and unparalleled carrier compatibility, the Rafale-M will become a formidable force for the Indian Navy, winning air superiority, maritime strike superiority, and strategic deterrence.
For many decades to come, India’s efforts to secure the Indo-Pacific, protect its territorial seas, and enhance its power projection capability will be spearheaded by the Rafale-M in the evolving geopolitical scenario.
