FuturePAF
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I came across this interesting video that might give useful insights.
An interesting review (by a veteran of one of India’s main Think Tanks; ORF) of the Indian procurement process of the Rafale and why the pilots are inadequate.
Three points that peaked my interest;
1. To save money India did not include a clause to guarantee spare parts in the even of sanctions after a future war, which may limit India’s use of the Rafale in the opening action of a war. (The speaker claims the primary requirement was to be able to reach, deliver and safely return from Shanghai and Beijing after having dropped a strategic weapon upon it)
2. Electronics should really be single nation sources so that integration work can be done well before delivery and one system doesn’t jam another system.
3. Had India procured 126 Rafales, the initial purchase would have costed all up $32-36 Billion and ended up costing $100 Billion when all is said and done at the end of a 30 year life cycle (this would have consumed the next 15 years of India’s procurement budget alone, per the speaker). Considering this, I doubt India will try to procure any more Rafales beyond the 36 they are looking into, and may move to procure American hardware. To counter this Rafale purchase, if the PAF procures only 18-24 F-16 Block 70/72, and doesn’t even upgrades its existing F-16s it may be able to hold back the Indians for at least another decade, maybe more, as the 18 Block 52s have done over the last decade and a half.
An interesting review (by a veteran of one of India’s main Think Tanks; ORF) of the Indian procurement process of the Rafale and why the pilots are inadequate.
Three points that peaked my interest;
1. To save money India did not include a clause to guarantee spare parts in the even of sanctions after a future war, which may limit India’s use of the Rafale in the opening action of a war. (The speaker claims the primary requirement was to be able to reach, deliver and safely return from Shanghai and Beijing after having dropped a strategic weapon upon it)
2. Electronics should really be single nation sources so that integration work can be done well before delivery and one system doesn’t jam another system.
3. Had India procured 126 Rafales, the initial purchase would have costed all up $32-36 Billion and ended up costing $100 Billion when all is said and done at the end of a 30 year life cycle (this would have consumed the next 15 years of India’s procurement budget alone, per the speaker). Considering this, I doubt India will try to procure any more Rafales beyond the 36 they are looking into, and may move to procure American hardware. To counter this Rafale purchase, if the PAF procures only 18-24 F-16 Block 70/72, and doesn’t even upgrades its existing F-16s it may be able to hold back the Indians for at least another decade, maybe more, as the 18 Block 52s have done over the last decade and a half.