- Sputnik International
Asia
Find top stories and features from Asia and the Pacific region. Keep updated on major political stories and analyses from Asia and the Pacific. All you want to know about China, Japan, North and South Korea, India and Pakistan, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

India’s Rafale Fighter Jets to Serve as ‘Strategic Delivery System’ of Nukes

© AFP 2023 / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT French Rafale fighter aircrafts come back aboard the French Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, after flights on November 23, 2015 at eastern Mediterranean sea, as part of operation Chammal in Syria and Irak against the Islamic State group
French Rafale fighter aircrafts come back aboard the French Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, after flights on November 23, 2015 at eastern Mediterranean sea, as part of operation Chammal in Syria and Irak against the Islamic State group - Sputnik International
Subscribe
India pushed forward the completion of the long-delayed deal for the French fighter jets after determining that the aircraft fulfills a vital strategic purpose – the delivery of nuclear weapons.

India and France are expected to announce the Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets in the coming days with New Delhi expediting the process at long last after identifying the French warplanes as serving a critical strategic function – the delivery of nuclear weapons.

Naval Strike Missile launch from USS Coronado (LCS-4) in September 2014 - Sputnik International
US Navy’s Half Billion Dollar Warship Suffers Two Engine Failures in First Days

The purchase comes as the Indian Air Force fleet, comprised mostly of Russian MiGs, is reaching the end of their service and with the military only fulfilling 32 fighter jet squadrons despite defense planning calling for the existence of 42 squadrons. The 36 Rafale fighter jets, however, do very little to fill the capability gap that China is expected to face in the coming years with the jets only filling two squadrons collectively.

India looks to fill their growing Air Force capability gap not with the Rafale fighter jets, but rather with indigenous Tejas fighter jets as well as American F-16 warplanes under the “Make in India” program with a view towards turning their defense industry into a domestic economic driver.

The question then was why would India bother to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets requiring a subset of pilots to be trained specifically to fly the stealthy 4.5 generation aircraft that has been described as perhaps the most lethal aircraft in the sky today when it does so little to address the country’s crushing military aviation needs.

The answer was disclosed on Sunday when, according to Indian government officials speaking to British newspaper The Sunday Express on the condition of anonymity, explained that even in small numbers the Rafale can be “used as an airborne strategic delivery system” for the country’s nuclear arsenal.

The US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power - Sputnik International
US Ambassador to UN: Emergency Meeting a 'Stunt,' Blasts Russia and Assad 'Game'

"The French Air Force, Armee de l’ Air, is shifting from Mirages to Rafale for its nuclear strike role this year. They have already started the process, and although our nuclear delivery systems are different from theirs, it does tell us that the Rafale is suited for the task," explained the defense official.

"The French Mirage-2000s have been modified for the delivery of our strategic arsenal. France has continued to provide maintenance, spares and technical support for these Mirages, which may not have been the case with some other foreign countries. We expect the same degree of cooperation from France when we modify and use the Rafales for that role," explained another defense official.

After a series of negotiations over the 36 fighter jets the two sides came to terms weeks ago on a final price of $8.78 billion for the group of jets – or an astronomical unit cost of nearly $244 million per aircraft. In order to seal the deal, France offered to invest 50% of the value of the deal in offsets to India.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала