Indian Navy Conducts Testing Of Nuke Capable Rafale M At INS Hansa

New Delhi: The Indian Navy tested the Rafale M (Marine version) fighter aircraft at the INS Hansa, a shore-based facility off the coast of Goa. France sent this highly capable aircraft to demonstrate its combat capabilities on 6 January.

This aircraft sent for testing is the latest upgraded version of the jet which has been equipped with India-specific requirements.

This deadly beast, if inducted, will be put to use on the Navy's INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier as well as the INS Vikrant, the indigenous aircraft carrier.

The Rafale M boosts of a reinforced undercarriage and nose wheel, a bigger arrester hook, an integrated ladder, and other minor differences from the Rafale currently in use in the Indian Air Force.

This nuclear capable fighter jet has been manufactured by French defense firm Dassault. It can carry Meteor air-to-air missiles, SCALP air-to-ground missiles and the Hammer precision guided ammunition in its weapons bay.

Rafale M has the capability to conduct different types of mission which ranges from combat air patrol, interception, escorting to land and sea-strike with full internal fuel.

According to defense experts, the Rafale M is more compatible with the Indian warships as compared to other competitors due to several reasons. 

They indicated towards the fact that the jet can fit into the lift bay of the INS Vikramaditya and its dimensions also means that 14 of can fit onto the deck of the warship which is not really the case with its competitors.

It is to be noted that the Indian Navy is looking to replace its ageing fleet of Russian made Mig 29K (naval version) so as to modernize its fleet and thereby keep up with its adversaries.

Earlier, the Indian Navy had issued a Request for Information (RFI) to procure 57 multi-role combat aircrafts and four fighters were in contention for this deal.

It included the Dassault Rafale (M) of France, the Boeing F/A -18 E/F Super Hornet of the United States, the Mig-29K of Russia and the SAAB Gripen of Sweden.

New Delhi wanted to manufacture these state of the art fighter aircrafts in India and the RFI also sought Transfer of Technologies (TOT) from the companies.

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