Mirage & Rafale – Fleets Add Great Value to IAF Operational Capability
By Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd)
New Delhi. Indian Air Force’s (IAF) transition from Mirage 2000 to Rafale was from one dream machine to another. In the initial training for test pilots, one is taught to assess an aircraft’s characteristics by just looking at it. One look at the wing-body blending, the shape of the intakes, the twist in the wing, the incline of fuselage, the size of the vertical stabilizer, the base of the wheels, all indicate some design features. For centuries, the French have been associated with finer things of life – the cuisine, fashion, and their language, the elegance of their Kings and courts, among many others. They have of course done well in aviation.
After the WW II, aviation designer Marcel Dassault re-established the French aviation industry. The M.D.450 (Marcel Dassault) Ouragan was the first French-designed jet fighter-bomber to enter production. In June 1953, India ordered 71 Ouragans (Toofani). Finally 104 were bought.
IAF
The Indian Air Force started to replace the Ouragan by the Mystère IVA in 1957. Toofanis were withdrawn fully from front line service in 1965, although they continued to be in use for some years as advanced trainer and for Target Towing. India procured 104 “supersonic-in-a-dive” Mysteres. The aircraft were used extensively in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. On 7 September 1965, an Indian Mystere, piloted by Squadron Leader Devayya shot down a Pakistani Lockheed F-104 Starfighter in a raid over Sargodha, earning him a Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumously). Mystère IVs were also very successful in surface strikes. The aircraft were phased out by 1973.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) built licensed versions of French Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama (designated Cheetah) and Aérospatiale Alouette III (designated Chetak) in mid-1960s. Indian Navy procured 14 French Bréguet Br.1050 Alizé in 1960 for carrier operations. French Turbomeca TM 333 2B2 engine powered initial HAL Dhruv, later replaced by the Shakti engine, which was jointly developed by HAL and Turbomeca. TM 333 2M2 powers HAL Cheetal and Chetan, upgraded versions of the Cheetah and Chetak, respectively.
India did buy the Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft (DPSA) in late 1970s, but the contract was serviced by the British. IAF built and upgraded many Jaguars and continues to fly significant numbers even today.
India procured the Dassault Mirage 2000, multirole, single-engine jet fighter in 1984. It was the first relaxed stability fly-by-wire aircraft with active controls technology inducted in IAF. The Thomson-CSF (now Thales) RDM multi-mode pulse-Doppler radar with an operating range of 100 km, and with look-down/shoot-down capabilities, combined with the Super R530 missiles with effective range of 60-70 km, brought the beyond-visual-range (BVR) concept for the first time. The all-aspect Magic 2 missile changed the dynamics of close combat.
IAF also got the first comprehensive Electronic Warfare (EW) suite on any aircraft with a self-protection jammer, Radar Warniing Receiver (RWR), Chaff and Flare Dispenser, an escort jammer and an Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Pod.
Capability Upgrades
More recently the aircraft have been upgraded to Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2 standards, and extending its useful life for another 20–25 years.
The upgrade included a new mission computer with higher memory and faster processing, new radar, advanced navigation and electronic warfare systems, advanced communication and identification systems.
The upgraded variant, now redesignated as Mirage 2000I, with new capabilities is literally like a new aircraft. It has a new glass cockpit, a helmet-mounted display (HMD) and MICA air-to-air missiles.
It can carry the Israeli Spice-2000 glide bomb and the indigenous Astra AAM. In September 2021, France agreed to sell around 24 retired Mirage 2000s to India, mainly for use as spares.
Attack Performance
Mirage 2000 performed exceedingly well in the 1999 Kargil conflict, that took place over some of the highest terrain in the world, where the aircraft and weapons had their own limitations. The targets were at 3-5 km altitude, and IAF engaged them with conventional and laser bombs.
Easy maintenance and a very high sortie rate made the Mirage 2000 one of the most efficient fighters of the IAF in the conflict. Later, it was the Mirage that IAF chose for the Balakot Strike over terrorist camps in Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attacks in India on police forces.
New Combat Aircraft Requirements Rafale Selection
IAF needed additional Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). Requests for Information (RFI) were issued in 2004. Finally the aircraft in the fray for Indian tender were Lockheed Martin F-16C/D, Mikoyan MiG-35, Saab JAS 39 Gripen, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The 126 aircraft deal was to be India’s mother of all (single largest) defence deals. The aircraft was to fill the gap between its future Light Combat Aircraft and the in-service Sukhoi Su-30MKI air superiority fighter.
On 27 April 2011, after an intensive and detailed technical evaluation by IAF, two fighters, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale cleared technical evaluation. On 31 January 2012, it was announced that Dassault Rafale won the competition due to its lower life-cycle cost.
Rafale Capabiities
The French twin-engine delta-wing Rafale is an omni-role fighter with frontal-stealth capabilities. It can simultaneously undertake air supremacy, interdiction, reconnaissance, and the airborne nuclear deterrent missions.
Rafale was inducted in the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations in the French Navy in 2000. It is an aircraft built entirely by one country, with Dassault, Thales, and Safran being the main players.
Rafale has been used in combat over Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. The aircraft uses digital fly-by-wire controls and has very high level of agility. The aircraft’s canards reduce the minimum landing speed to 115 knots (213 km/h) and better aircraft carrier performance. The Rafale’s glass cockpit was designed around the principle of data fusion that prioritises information display to pilots.
The primary flight controls are arranged in a hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS)-compatible configuration. The cockpit features a wide-angle holographic head-up display (HUD), two head-down flat-panel colour multi-function displays (MFDs) as well as a central collimated display. The cockpit is fully compatible with night vision goggles (NVG).
The aircraft is powered by two Snecma M88 engines, each capable of providing up to 50 kilonewtons (kN) dry thrust and 75 kN with afterburners. They imbibe technology to reduce radar and infrared signatures, and enable the Rafale to super cruise while carrying four missiles and one drop tank.
Rafale also features an advanced avionics suite. The passive front-sector electro-optical system can operate both in the visible and infrared wavelengths. The total value of the radar, electronic communications and self-protection equipment is about 30% of the cost of the entire aircraft.
The Rafale features an integrated electronic survival system named SPECTRA, which protects the aircraft against airborne and ground threats. The system incorporates RWR, Laser Warning (LW), Missile Approach Warning (MAW) for threat detection plus a phased array radar jammer and a decoy dispenser for threat countering. The Areos all-weather, night-and-day-capable reconnaissance system used on the Rafale has the ability to transmit information, such as images, in real-time to ground stations.
The RBE2 AA Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, with a range of 200 km, is a key capability.
The G2G Deal
The 36 aircraft, €7.87 billion (Rs 58,891 crore), Government-to-Government (G2G) Rafale deal meant supply of 28 single-seat and eight twin-seat aircraft.
It included tailor-made IAF specific enhancements including the integration of an Israeli helmet-mounted display (HMD), radar warning receivers and low-band jammers, a weapons package and a significant Performance-based Logistics agreement.
MBDA MICA and Meteor Missilles
The aircraft’s 14 hard-points can carry 9,500 kg external load. The air-to-air missiles include Matra Magic II, MBDA MICA IR or EM, and MBDA Meteor. Meteor is an active radar guided Beyond Visual Range Radar Guided Missile (BVRAAM).
Meteor offers multi-shot capability against long range manoeuvring jets, UAVs and cruise missiles in a heavy electronic countermeasures (ECM) environment with range well in excess of 150 km. Its no-escape zone of over 60 km is the largest among air-to-air missiles, according to the manufacturer.
India also procured SCALP air-to-ground cruise missiles. Subsequently, the HAMMER (highly agile modular munition extended range) glide bomb was negotiated. The Indian Rafale is a modified version of the F3R standard. All 36 aircraft have been delivered, and its two squadrons are located at two different airbases. Both these airbases have the infrastructure and capacity for an additional squadron each.
The French have already tested the F4 variant with upgraded radar improved HMDS, OSF (Long-range Optoelectronics System) and Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) unit for detecting and identifying airborne stealth targets at long range. It will be more effective in network-centric warfare, with more data exchange and satellite communication capacity.
The Great IAF Capability Boost
Traditionally India and France have been enjoying an exceptionally warm relationship, which is the fruit of deep affinities and the unwavering trust between the two countries since India’s Independence. France is considered as the most reliable Western ‘Friend’.
IAF regularly carries out Garuda series of air exercises with French Air Force since 2003, the latest “Garuda VII” having been held at Jodhpur in November 2022.
As Indian Air Force ((IAF) celebrated its 91st birthday this October 8, 2023, it continues to touch the Sky With Glory.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already exhorted IAF senior leadership: “Indian Air Force should become an Aerospace Force and be ready to protect the country from ever-evolving threats.”
Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, the Chief of Air Staff, has observed: “Conflicts in last few decades established pre-eminence of aerospace power” pointing out the IAF has the unique capability of undertaking “independent strategic operations” as well as operations coordinated with other services and arms of the national security apparatus.
IAF needs to evolve into aerospace power, says Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari. The same in fact is very nicely elucidated in IAF’s Doctrine 2022.
Dominating Air and Space
It is well understood globally that the one who controls the air and space domains, controls the planet.
Military aviation directly supports outcomes of all air, surface and sub-surface battles. Air and space superiority remains essential. If we lose the war in the air, we lose the surface and sub-surface war, and lose it quickly.
Both the Mirage 2000 and Rafale have given the IAF Multirole, Anti-Access, Area-Denial, and Area Dominance capability. Along with the Su-30 MKI, they allow IAF’s Reach from the Malacca Strait to Gulf of Aden, and to secure the northern Indian Ocean. From Andaman and Nicobar Islands, IAF can launch missions till South China Sea with a single aerial refuelling.
Combined with the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) make a good potent combination.
Notably though, IAF is already down to 30 fighter squadrons vis-à-vis the authorised strength of 42. India has a two-front war threat. IAF urgently needs more fighter squadrons.
The Request for Proposal (RfP) for 114 new “Make-in-India” acquisition is still to be sent out.
There are media reports that the Indian Navy has shortlisted the Rafale-M as the possible aircraft for its Carrier operations. In such a scenario, perhaps the Government might consider the added numbers of Rafales for Make in India production lines to amortise costs.
Defence and Diplomacy are linked, and what India will induct is yet to be decided by the Ministry of Defence. Whatever the choice, it has to be authorised by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by the Prime Minister.
IAF hopes for an early decision.
(The Author is Director General, Centre for Airpower Studies (CAPS). He was a Test Pilot and in the first IAF Team
to ferry the Mirage 2000 from France to India. He has flying experience on the Rafale).
