IAF eyes new smart weapon for Rafale jets amid border row with China
The IAF will induct its first batch of five Rafale jets imported from France at the Ambala air base on July 29. The air force could deploy the new fighters in the Ladakh sector as part of India’s overarching plan to strengthen its military posture in the region, officials previously indicated to Hindustan Times.
Stuck in a seemingly intractable border dispute with China in eastern Ladakh, India is looking at arming its new Rafale fighter jets with an all-weather smart weapon of French origin that will allow combat pilots to engage ground targets from a standoff range of up to 60 km, people familiar with the developments said on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Indian Air Force is likely to initiate the purchase of Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) using emergency financial powers granted to the military by the government at a time of heightened military tensions with China, said one of the officials cited above.
The IAF will induct its first batch of five Rafale jets imported from France at the Ambala air base on July 29. The air force could deploy the new fighters in the Ladakh sector as part of India’s overarching plan to strengthen its military posture in the region, officials previously indicated to Hindustan Times.
The Hammer, consisting of a guidance kit and a range extension kit fitted on a standard bomb of the Mk80 series, is manufactured by French defence firm Safran. The Hammer purchase will necessitate the import of Mk80 series bombs that can later be manufactured in India, said a second official.
The other weapons that the Rafale jets will be armed with include Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, Mica multi-mission air-to-air missiles and Scalp deep-strike cruise missiles.
While India initiated discussions with France to buy Hammer two to three years ago, the current border tensions with China have lent fresh urgency to the procurement, said a third official.
“Enhancement of capability, especially under the present circumstances, will serve the IAF well. Efforts should be made to fast-track the purchase,” said Air Chief Marshal Fali H Major (retd), a former IAF chief.
India ordered 36 Rafale jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016 as an emergency purchase to plug gaps in the IAF’s combat capabilities. The jets have been specially tailored for IAF.
India-specific enhancements on the jets include cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases including Leh, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with storage for 10 hours of data, infrared search and track systems, jammers and towed decoys to ward off incoming missiles.
The twin-engine jet is capable of carrying out a variety of missions – ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance and nuclear strike deterrence. It can carry more than nine tonnes of weapons on as many as 14 hard-points.
The two Rafale squadrons will be based at Ambala in Haryana and Hasimara in West Bengal, covering the western and eastern fronts.
Acting on a special request by the IAF, France has accelerated the deliveries of Rafale fighters to India --- five jets are coming to Ambala instead of four that were originally planned to be delivered in the first batch.
According to the original delivery schedule, the first 18 jets (including the four in the first batch) were to be delivered to the IAF by February 2021, with the rest expected by April-May 2022. Future deliveries will also be expedited.