India prefers a French Fighter Jet
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Last week, after negotiations that lasted years, the Indian government had finally decided to purchase the French made fighter jet, Rafale. Experts explain that the deal with Dassault Aviation is undoubtedly one of the largest purchases ever made by India. At this stage it is clear India will be purchased 36 jet planes, but the transaction includes options for additional purchases.
The purchase of 36 Rafale jets will create a situation where the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) jet fleet includes a variety of different planes: Russian Sukhoi Su-30s beside the Rafale. The transaction with France includes, beside additional optional purchases, local Indian production and assembly of future Rafale jets. The IAF is also planning to purchase about 150 Russian made Sukhoi t-50s, a 5th generation jet co-developed by Sukhoi and the Indian manufacturer Hinudstan Aeronatics.
Experts say that this Indian deal will be the last to involve jets belonging to the 4.5 generation. Newer fighter jets such as the American F-35 are considered 5th generation.
The transaction allows the French industry an advantage in the Indian market when coming to installation on the platform, such as sensors, communication systems, arms systems and such. Israel had in the past offered India various systems for its fighter jet, but there is concern now that the choice of a French jet will mean that no Israeli systems, such as electronic devices and air-to-air missiles will be sold for this aircraft. “The French won’t let any other country take even a small part in this deal,” says an Israeli source.
According to this source the transaction is also very significant in the way it pushes the US further down the list of Indian weapons suppliers. “The Indians preferred the French model on other models, including on American jets such as the F-16 and F-18, and this has significance over and above the financial side of the transaction.”
The Indians, as was explained, have several times expressed their wish to purchase Israeli systems for their new fighter jet, this before the decision was made to choose the Rafale.
It is worth while noting that there is a certain level of criticism regarding this deal in India itself. In an article in the Indian Express the title of which is ‘Why Rafale is a big mistake’, Bharat Karnad, professor at the Centre for Policy Research, explains that the purchase of the Rafale will be a mistake. He enumerates four different kinds of jet planes already used by the IAF, including the two types of Sukhoi as well as two other jets manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics, and explains that the technological variety is already, prior to the introduction of the Rafale, too great, and that this variety creates unwanted logistical mayham. The introduction of the French plane would only make this worse, he says.
