India selects EF, Rafale for MMRCA shortlist

[luckyyy]

Because? That's actually is good for Rafale, because of more weapon commonality.

rafale has not yet selected , but navy using isreali derby and LCA also has it....derby bring more weapon commonality has it put on mirage..

 

[sudhir007]

India Accelerates Fighter Deal | AVIATION WEEK

Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony says India’s much-anticipated choice in its Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program could occur before the end of March 2012.

India wants to expedite the deal in part because Pakistan is expecting a speedy delivery of 50 JF-17 aircraft, which originally were to be spread out over two years, according to defense ministry officials.

Pakistani Defense Minister Ahmad Mukhtar has been quoted saying that his country is seeking delivery within six months of the JF-17 Thunder single-engine multirole fighters, which were developed by China and Pakistan.

A Pakistan air force spokesman says the first batch of these aircraft will be handed over to Islamabad within weeks. The agreement to expedite the delivery came as Pakistan’s prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, held talks in Beijing on May 19.

Antony has expressed discomfort over this development. “It is a matter of serious concern for us. The main thing is, we have to increase our capability — that is the only answer,” he says.

Last month, India short-listed the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale for the estimated $11 billion contract to provide 126 fighter jets (Aerospace DAILY, April 28). India rejected Boeing’s F/A-18E/F and Lockheed Martin’s F-16. Russia’s MiG-35 and Saab’s Gripen also were shut out.

The Indian air force is buying the MMRCA to replace its aging Soviet-era MiG-21 fighters, which date back to the 1960s.

“The negotiation for crucial commercial terms will begin next month,” says Michael Christie, senior vice president at BAE Systems India. BAE is part of the Eurofighter consortium, along with Alenia Aeronautica and EADS.

The first 18 jets will be bought in “fly-away” condition, and the remainder will be produced under license with a selected vendor in India.

According to sources close to the project, the government has initiated negotiations with the bidders on offset requirements. India has fixed offset obligations at 50%, requiring that half of the deal’s worth be reinvested in Indian industry.

 

[sancho]

I have a feel like EF will be the winner as french has already got an order for 6 submarines and mirage upgrades.
Same as US will be getting an order of another 5-7 C17.

So, this one will be for Europe.

Last time I checked, France was part of Europe as well and we were buying quit some stuff from UK, GER and ITA as well.

rafale has not yet selected , but navy using isreali derby and LCA also has it....derby bring more weapon commonality has it put on mirage..

But why is the selection of MICA a downer for Rafale?

 

[sancho]

Interesting rumors from France:

UAE, Rafale deal very close to be signed

May 20th, 05:00 PM, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has met Abou Dabi crown Prince Mohamed Bin ZAYED AL NAHYAN. Rumors tell that the final agreement about the purchase by the UAE of 60 Rafale fighter jets could have been reached during the meeting. If true, the contract could be inked in a couple of weeks, possibly during the opening of the 49th Paris air show which will start on June 20th.

Rafale News: UAE, Rafale deal very close to be signed

UAE, The technical package is settled

This has been confirmed by a reliable source : Both Emirati and French negociators have agreed on what the UAE Rafale will be. In other words, all the requests made by the UAE have been met and the technical package of their future Rafale is now setlled.

On the financial front, We have learnt that the Dassault proposal has been validated by the French presidency and confirmed to the Crown Prince Mohamed Bin ZAYED AL NAHYAN last Friday. The time for price negociations has thus begun between the two countries.

Two point are worth noting in this affair :

First, the UAE want the Rafale since the begining because it ensures their independence of action unlike the US proposals. The UAE don't want to become a simple military tool in the hands of the White House as the Saudi are.
Secondly, The Libyan campaign has been a formidale "live" demonstration that the Rafale strategic capabilities are very efficient and 100% independent from US supplies in all missions (A2A, A2G, Recce, stand off strike...)

Rafale News: UAE, The technical package is settled

 

[GORKHALI]

 

[sancho]

In the press, Latinaero articles about Rafale and AASM Engagement over Libya


Latinaero has released a preview of its first issue which should be available next June. It can be downloaded directly on their web site (or here as a backup). The first part of an article about the Rafale at war in Libya (written by defrense journalist Jean-Michel Guhl), can be read in this issue (mainly about AASM bombs)

Here are very interesting extracts about the AASM capabilities (for the record) :

[...] The greatest operational value of the AASM is that it is a true stand-off weapon, which means it can be fired safely from outside the range of existing
enemy short and medium range air defence systems, whether at high or low
altitude. According to Lieutenant General Patrick Chareix, of the French Air Force
CDAOA staff, this fact was proven on several occasions during the initial phase of the interdiction campaign over Libya where the Rafales operated without the need of any dedicated SEAD asset —and
to the big surprise of the USAF theatre commander on one specific action against a Libyan SA-3 “Goa” SAM site in March 2011!.

Its solid rocket propulsion system gives the AASM a range of over 50 km when fired from high altitude, and
over 15 km for low-altitude firing. In the latter case, the AASM can also climb over its release point to avoid difficult terrain, while providing a near vertical terminal trajectory for better final precision.

These characteristics are awsome, as most of the time, the AASM strikes come as a full surprise for an observer on the ground, for the simple reason that the launch aircraft is unseen and unheard… even more when the launch aircraft is a Rafale, thanks to its stealthy characteristics.

Quite a surprising and positive point is the fact that the AASM can be fired off-axis in relation to the aircraft’s flight path, thus optimizing its extended range and enabling it to hit distant targets right behind the aircraft —something totally impossible for a conventional laser-guided bomb.
From the operational standpoint, this enables the aircraft to immediately engage its target, without having to manoeuvre to place the launching aircraft in position, as would be required for other existing laser or GPS-guided tactical weapons.

A very valuable tactical advantage is also that the AASM allows a single aircraft to engage up to six targets simultaneously ! For example one Rafale fighter fitted with two triple underwing Rafaut hard-points —as was the case during “Opération Harmattan” over Libya— can loiter and attack successively or in a single action up to six targets of different nature located in opposing directions. For that, the Rafale pilot (or navigator in the two-seat models) can use target coordinates previously programmed on the ground during mission briefing, or even in flight at the last minute in the case of time-sensitive targets ! This in-flight reprogramming capability relies on new coordinates either sourced through the Rafale’s tactical data link terminal (NATO L-16) or obtained via the laser rangemeter of a Damoclès targeting pod.
[...]

So, Jean-Michel Guhl confirm, once and for all, in this article that the AASM can be launch at a target behind the aircraft, and so, apparently even at low altitude (see the AASM lauch domain drawing above). Moreover, the Rafale/AASM combo can perform a 180° off boresight attack in a multarget scenario which is quite amazing

Rafale News: In the press, Latinaero articles about Rafale and AASM Engagement over Libya

 

[saumyasupratik]

@Sancho If only they had a more higher resolution image for this.It shows Brimstones as well, are they compatible with the Rafale?What missile is that between the ASMP and MICA IR?

 

[jha]

For RAFALE Fans ....

 

[sancho]

@Sancho If only they had a more higher resolution image for this.It shows Brimstones as well, are they compatible with the Rafale?What missile is that between the ASMP and MICA IR?

Hi, sadly no high resolution pic is available yet, but you are right there are Brimstone missiles. Brimstone is offered by MBDA and can be integrated into Rafale, or Mirage as well, infact it seems the French forces shows interest in the weapon, since they saw it in Libya used by RAF Tornados. The French are also developing a laser guided rocket pod for CAS, that you can see at the end of the pic, infront of the twin gun pod.

It's not a missile, but an ACMI pod (Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation) for training, or exercises:

More about it here:

defence.professionals | defpro.com

 

[jha]

@Sancho..

Any chance of us getting a look at ASMP ..? That would be awesome..If France is willing to share this with us ( offcourse under the table ). Then I will support RAFALE..

 

[kingdurgaking]

^^^ we are getting everything ... except the blue print...

 

[razgriz19]

rafale is definetly a bomb truck!

 

[jha]

^^^ we are getting everything ... except the blue print...

 

[rickshaw driver]

@Sancho..

Any chance of us getting a look at ASMP ..? That would be awesome..If France is willing to share this with us ( offcourse under the table ). Then I will support RAFALE..

brother ASMP is still on the drawing table yet....it will take atleast 2 years before tejas can incorporate it....the problem is Security Council will veto france's move of selling tyres and tubes to india....so ISRO can bail us out by producing them...that will save us funds which can be diverted for the development of fuel tanks for Tejas mk-II...furthermore if our defence minister can pay kick-back to Bajaj Autos we can get lights for Tejas real quick and lets pray things go smoothly and hopefully we will see rafale and Tejas squadrons soon

 

[jha]

brother ASMP is still on the drawing table yet....it will take atleast 2 years before tejas can incorporate it....the problem is Security Council will veto france's move of selling tyres and tubes to india....so ISRO can bail us out by producing them...that will save us funds which can be diverted for the development of fuel tanks for Tejas mk-II...furthermore if our defence minister can pay kick-back to Bajaj Autos we can get lights for Tejas real quick and lets pray things go smoothly and hopefully we will see rafale and Tejas squadrons soon