India’s Ministry of Defence is reviewing a critical IAF proposal. The air force seeks to procure 114 advanced fighter jets. This requirement follows an earlier, truncated purchase of just 36 Rafales. Consequently, the new MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) tender was initiated. This program aims to urgently address the IAF’s dwindling squadron strength. However, significant Rafale delays cast a long shadow over its candidacy.
MRFA Tender and Enduring Rafale Delays
The MRFA tender has attracted top global aviation firms. For instance, SAAB’s Gripen E competes against the Eurofighter Typhoon. Boeing also fields its advanced F-15EX and F/A-18 Super Hornet. Meanwhile, Russia offers its Su-35 and MiG-35 platforms. This intense competition highlights a glaring issue for the French fighter. The current Indian Rafales use technologically dated radar systems. This specific issue is a focal point of the ongoing Rafale debate.
Strategic Concerns Mount Over Rafale
India’s Ministry of Defence is reviewing a critical IAF proposal. The air force seeks to procure 114 advanced fighter jets. This requirement follows an earlier, truncated purchase of just 36 Rafales. Consequently, the new MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) tender was initiated. This program aims to urgently address the IAF’s dwindling squadron strength. However, significant Rafale delays cast a long shadow over its candidacy. Procuring a jet in 2025 without features that competition offers, at 20-25% more cost cannot be justified.
MRFA Tender and Enduring Rafale Delays
The MRFA tender has attracted top global aviation firms. For instance, SAAB’s Gripen E competes against the Eurofighter Typhoon. Boeing also fields its advanced F-15EX and F/A-18 Super Hornet. Meanwhile, Russia offers its Su-35 and MiG-35 platforms. This intense competition highlights a glaring issue for the French fighter. The current Indian Rafales use technologically dated radar systems. This specific issue is a focal point of the ongoing Rafale delays.
India’s Indigenous Efforts
Concurrently, India develops its own Light Combat Aircraft. The LCA Tejas Mk1A and Mk2 are vital national projects. However, these programs face their own distinct challenges. GE engine delivery delays have impacted the Mk1A program’s timeline. The more advanced Mk2 also depends on foreign engine technology. Importantly, these indigenous aircraft are in a different category. They are not direct competitors within the MRFA tender. This distinction underscores India’s immediate need & LCA family arent related.
The Critical AESA Radar Technology Gap
Modern air combat superiority hinges on advanced avionics. A fighter’s AESA radar is its primary sensor. Most MRFA contenders now offer Gallium Nitride (GaN) AESA radars. In contrast, the IAF Rafale operates on older Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology. This creates a significant performance deficit for the Indian fleet.
GaN vs. GaAs: An Engineering Perspective
Gallium Nitride is a third-generation wide-bandgap semiconductor. Its material properties offer substantial advantages over Gallium Arsenide. GaN boasts higher power density and superior thermal conductivity. This allows GaN-based transmit/receive (T/R) modules to operate at higher voltages and temperatures.
Practically, this translates to several key performance enhancements. A GaN radar can generate a more powerful beam. This significantly increases detection and tracking ranges. It also provides higher resolution for better target identification. Furthermore, GaN’s efficiency improves resistance to sophisticated electronic warfare and jamming attempts. The Rafale’s current GaAs-based RBE2-AESA simply cannot match these metrics.
Analyzing the Competition’s Radar Advantage
The Rafale’s competitors showcase the latest sensor technology. The SAAB Gripen E integrates the advanced GaN-based Raven ES-05 AESA. Similarly, newer Eurofighter Typhoons feature the Captor-E, which steer the panel and increase the coverage. The American F-15EX is equipped with the powerful Raytheon AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA radar. These systems provide their pilots with superior situational awareness. They can detect and engage threats from much greater distances.
Geopolitical Ramifications and Media Contrasts
This technological lag has serious geopolitical implications. China’s J-20 stealth fighter is reportedly equipped with a large GaN AESA radar. Analysts estimate its array contains 2000-2200 T/R modules. This gives Chinese pilots a decisive long-range advantage. The delay in upgrading India’s Rafales directly impacts the regional balance of power.
A Disconnect in Reporting
Interestingly, Indian media often celebrates the Rafale enthusiastically. It is frequently hailed as an unmatched asset for the IAF. However, this narrative contrasts sharply with reports from France. French media outlets have been more candid. They report a critical eight-year cumulative delay for the GaN radar upgrade. Thales, the manufacturer, faces significant production line limitations. It has prioritized upgrades for France’s own air force. This reality highlights India’s precarious dependency on foreign industrial schedules. The lack of a local upgrade facility further compounds this strategic vulnerability.
A Platform Awaiting Modernization
In 2012, India rightly selected the Rafale in the MMRCA competition. At that time, it was a leading-edge multi-role fighter. However, thirteen years have now passed. The battlespace has evolved dramatically. Consequently, the aircraft requires urgent technological infusion. Its sensors and weapon systems need significant upgrades. Furthermore, the platform lacks credible man-machine teaming capabilities. This is a critical feature for future network-centric warfare. The proposed Rafale F5 standard promises to address these shortcomings. Yet, the F5 is only projected for development around 2030. Production will begin even later. For the IAF, this timeline presents a serious challenge for immediate combat readiness.
So, let’s see if the Ministry of Defence actually approves 114 4.5 generation jets with no GaN-based sensors or if this will open up for other vendors in competition that are constantly upgrading their hardware. Or India could bring in an indigenous program in that category and open up things further.
Indian media don’t know the prime shortcomings of the rafale Jet plane hiding the major issue of the defence surprisingly!
With respect to the ongoing debate on whether to focus on indigenous platform or to purchase one, and also if to purchase then from whom. Russian SU – 35 is a better option. They are providing transfer of technology which will enable us to rectify the shortcomings of the platform and also upgrade it after the agreement to manufacture it locally is signed. The time to develop a indigenous machine from scratch is saved and also the technical know how is acquired in upgrading the Russian platform.
I came to know that india itself has developed an advanced Radar UTTAM Mk2 AESA Radar which can be integrated into the Rafale fighter jets The American and British fighter jets cannot be relied on as they can shut down the electronics of the jets that they sell to india It was mainly the Russian Sukoi jets which was used to fire the Brahmos missiles and the S 400 missiles defence system which played a big part in the victory over Pakistan in Operation sindoor.
We should do nothing. Just relax and enjoy ,everything will be alright
God is with us, and there is no vendor better than him.
Or leave it to the Bureaucrats and nothing will be finalised till eternity.
Defense contracts, negotiations and compliance are really next level.
We have to endure these things for atleast 5 more years.