New Delhi: The Indian Navy is testing the Rafale Marine (M) fighter jet at its shore-based facility in Goa. It is also checking whether its aircraft carriers need small changes to operate the French-made jet smoothly.
The main issue is that the Rafale M’s wings do not fold. This means the jet takes up more space on a carrier than the Navy’s MiG-29K fighters, whose wings can be folded. The Rafale M has a wingspan of about 10.9 metres.
A source said the Navy had kept this point in mind during talks for the aircraft deal.
“If any minor changes are required on INS Vikramaditya or INS Vikrant, they will be made accordingly. These aspects were discussed during the contract negotiations,” the source said.
Space is limited on an aircraft carrier. Fighter jets have to be moved between the flight deck and the hangar below. The Navy is therefore studying how to park, move and store the Rafale M on its ships, as reported by The New Indian Express.
The trials are being held at the Shore-Based Test Facility at INS Hansa in Goa. The facility has a ski-jump ramp similar to the one used on Indian aircraft carriers. It helps the Navy test the jet’s performance and operating methods before it is used at sea.
The Rafale M was tested at the same Goa facility in 2022. At that time, it was competing with Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet to become the Navy’s new carrier-based fighter.
The French jet was designed for France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which uses catapults to launch aircraft. Indian carriers use a ski-jump ramp for take-off and arresting wires for landing.
India has ordered 26 Rafale M jets from France. Most of them are expected to operate from INS Vikrant. The new jets will strengthen the Navy’s air power at sea and replace its ageing MiG-29K fleet. They will be used for air defence, attacks on ships and surveillance missions.
The government signed an agreement with France in April last year for the jets at a cost of about Rs 63,000 crore. The deal includes 22 single-seat jets and four twin-seat trainers, along with weapons, simulators, training and support services.
The Rafale M has a modern radar and an electronic-warfare system. Its weapons include the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile, MICA air-to-air missiles and precision-guided bombs and missiles.
The deal also allows India to fit its own Astra air-to-air missile on the Rafale M, but only after it passes the required tests and certification.