RAFALE-M

About:

• The Rafale-M arrived in Goa recently and the demonstration is expected to go up to February 1.
  
  
• Boeing will also demonstrate the compatibility of its F/A-18 Super Hornet on the SBTF likely in March, it has been learnt.
  
  
• These trials are part of demonstrations by aircraft manufacturers to showcase the compatibility of their aircraft to fly from Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers which use a ski-jump to launch aircraft.
  
  
• Both the Rafale-M and F/A-18 are originally designed to operate from carriers with a catapult launch mechanism.
  
  
• The carrier would thus require minor modifications to operate the aircraft, officials said. A government-to-government agreement could be signed based on the aircraft selected to speed up the process, an official said.
  
  
• Boeing has taken a lead in the race having already demonstrated the ability of F/A-18 to take off from a similar shore based facility at Naval Air Station Patuxent river in Maryland, U.S. in December 2020.
  
  
• However, each fighter brings certain advantages while having some limitations.
  
  
• For instance, Rafale-M does not have a twin seater while its acquisition would mean commonality with the Indian Air Force which will soon complete inducting the 36 Rafale jets contracted in 2016.
  
  
• On the other hand, the F/A-18 is a much widely employed platform with a twin seater trainer and also has an electronic warfare version which might be of interest to the Navy.
  
  
• In 2017, the Navy had floated Request For Information (RFI) to procure 57 twin-engine carrier fighters which is now set to downsized to around 26, including few twin-seater trainer variants.
  
  
• The revision is in the backdrop of a new indigenous Twin Engine Carrier Based Deck Fighter (TEBDF) being designed and developed by the DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).