Will IAF Rafale fighter jets give it air superiority over PAF?

by Tauqeer Abbas
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Shafaqna Pakistan: India will induct French-made Rafale fighter jets in September, said Air Chief Marshall BS Dhanoa said on Monday.

India has ordered at least 36 Dassault Aviation-manufactured Rafale fighter aircraft to update its arsenal in the wake of increased threat from cross-border terror attacks.

Acquiring Rafale jets would provide a huge boosts to India’s aerial capabilities, considering that it is a twin-engine omni-role fighter with a wide array of weapons.

It is not only designed to provide aerial supremacy but also Deep Air Support (DAS), ground support, in-depth strikes, nuclear deterrence missions, and aerial reconnaissance.

The aircraft has some salient features that include its avionics or electrical equipment fitted to the aircraft. It is available in three main variants including the Rafale C single-seat land-type, Rafale B twin-seat land-type and Rafale M single-seat carrier-based version.

One of the special features that give Rafale jets an edge in aerial combat is its agility. It offers maximum manoeuvrability due to a combination of delta wing with an active close-coupled canard.

While it is not a full-fledged stealth aircraft, it offers reduced visibility in the air due to many changes to the aircraft’s external parts like the fuselage, tail-fin, engine air in-lets and many more.

The Rafale also houses a glass cockpit with a central computer, which selects and prioritises information to be displayed for the pilot. It is a highly-digitized cockpit, and even allows control over a wide range of the plane’s functions via spoken voice commands.

Rafale aircraft is fitted with RBE2 AA active electronically scanned array (AESA), which reportedly delivers a detection range of 200 kilometres. In terms of the engine, Rafale aircraft houses two Snecma M88 engines, each of which is very powerful when it comes to providing thrust.

It has a maximum speed of 1,912 km/hr or 1,032 knots while flying high-altitude and 1,390 km/hr in low-altitude flights.

The standard setup includes a single 30 mm GIAT 30/M791 auto cannon with 125 deadly rounds. It also has at least 14 hardpoints (only air force version) for fitting weapons and external fuel tank. It is believed to be adept in both air-to-air and air-to-surface combat.

Therefore, the acquisition of Rafale jet holds significance for India.

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