First Public Images of Rafale Armed with Mica Air to Air Missiles In Ladakh

[ayodhyapati]

Even as the PLA and IA have disengaged in the Pangong Tso sector, the airforces of both India and China are still deployed in their numbers along the entire LAC. Today IAFs latest jets, the Rafales were seen in Ladakh armed with Mica air-to-air missiles.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1379391174436249603

very nice show
going to get more .

Big achievement.


Let's wait for the 1st crash

billi ke khawab me chhichhre

 

[Cookie Monster]

Both IR and RG, interesting just one supersonic drop tank. I guess the M88 can‘t loft more from Leh? We will have to wait for more images to confirm.

Couldn't that be by choice? My guess is that one drop tank is probably enough for the range they intended to patrol.

 

[GumNaam]

so india finally managed to mount missiles on the rafale (with french help of course)...

 

[ayodhyapati]

so india finally managed to mount missiles on the rafale (with french help of course)...

hun aram hai ?

 

[GumNaam]

hun aram hai ?

tusi daso...hun aram hai?

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

It doesn’t take much to excite the indians.....

And, to send them into a melancholy....

 

[SecularNationalist]

Is it the infrared of radar guided variant?

It's vedic guided variant.

tusi daso...hun aram hai?

Oh yeah lakshmi prefer it to be fully erected, straight and pointy

 

[FOOLS_NIGHTMARE]

Indian Rafale Jets Fly Near China Border Loaded With Powerful MICA Missiles

Indian Rafale Jets Fly Near China Border Loaded With Powerful MICA Missiles

The Indian Air Force has released images of its Rafale fighter jets conducting sorties armed with wingtip-mounted MICA missiles in Ladakh.

eurasiantimes.com

 

[Trango Towers]

Indian Rafale Jets Fly Near China Border Loaded With Powerful MICA Missiles

Indian Rafale Jets Fly Near China Border Loaded With Powerful MICA Missiles

The Indian Air Force has released images of its Rafale fighter jets conducting sorties armed with wingtip-mounted MICA missiles in Ladakh.

eurasiantimes.com

Near is a very subjective word.
It could mean 10km or 200km

 

[Mrc]

Where ij mateor?

 

[dbc]

Couldn't that be by choice? My guess is that one drop tank is probably enough for the range they intended to patrol.

close coupled delta canards designs are fuel hungry especially while operating in the upper transonic / supersonic region. The high altitudes of Leh will constrain the intercept range with one centerline supersonic fuel tank and exclusively AAM weapons configuration. Mid air refueling isn't really an option for a quick reaction alert mission. But I suppose a jack of all trades like the Rafale can't really be expected to match the F-15 or Typhoon as an interceptor.

 

[jk007]

a) I believe the F-16 was deemed to have failed because it does not have a built in APU and so it could not self start in Leh without ancillary equipment. It was very clear the IAF wanted to fail the F-16. The Gripen powered by the F414 was the only aircraft to clear high altitude test at Leh.

b) Probably 40% cheaper fly away cost. 70% lower operational cost, French parts and weapons are much more expensive.

Thanks for your reply.

*After F-16 / F-18 lost the MMRCA, both the vendors demanded and received a briefing (Hillary Clinton was visiting India when the briefing happened) from India as to why they lost the MMRCA.
*While I do believe that IAF may not be super enthusiastic with F-16, they might have had some valid reasons for rejecting it. BTW, I do know about an interview from the then IAF chief where he said that the difference between each of the aircraft (that participated in MMRCA) is not much.

PS#1: personally, I wanted either Eurofighter or F-16 to win the MMRCA. But seems like India had bigger calculations.

 

[PWFI]

Where ij mateor?

Shri mitro require a special pooja with leamons before indukson