Super Hornet (above) eliminated from competition. Sanctions for three other Scorpènes received, adding to the six already built
By Vikas Gupta
Trade Standard, 14 Jul 23
As Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi embarks from Delhi on Thursday for a two-day visit to France and the United Arab Emirates, his Ministry of Defense (MoD) has approved three major proposals for the acquisition of defense equipment high tech.
“A Defense Acquisition Board (DAC) meeting, held under the chairmanship of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved three proposals on 13 July 2023 (Thursday),” the MoD announced in New Delhi.
Rafale Navy fighters
“The DAC granted an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft along with ancillary equipment, weapons, simulators, spare parts, documentation, crew training and logistical support for the Indian Navy from the French government on the basis of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA),” the Ministry of Defense said.
This amounts to the French Navy selecting the Rafale Marine in its call for tenders for 26 multi-role on-board fighters (MRCBF), for which a request for information (RFI) had been sent to two publishers: Dassault for the Rafale Navy and Boeing for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
By choosing the Rafale Marine, the Navy ruled out that its two-seater training version would take off from an aircraft carrier, since the two-seater Rafale Marine does not operate from an aircraft carrier. Of the 26 MRCBF purchased today in Paris, eight two-seaters will not be capable of carrying out combat operations off aircraft carriers. They will be available for pilot training ashore, but not for combat missions flown from the deck of the aircraft carrier.
This restriction would not be there for the Super Hornets. All of them, single-seaters or two-seaters, are capable of carrying out combat missions from the Navy’s aircraft carriers.
Additionally, the acquisition of Super Hornets for the MRCBF role would ensure a high degree of interoperability between the aircraft carrier, the carrier-borne Super Hornets and several other platforms that the Indian Army has procured or is in the process of buy.
These platforms include the F/A-18F Growler electronic warfare aircraft, the MH-60R Seahawk carrier-borne helicopters, the P-8I Poseidon long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and the Sea Guardian long-range drones. They are used to working together after years of coordinating in exercises like Malabar.
In 2015, in remarkably similar circumstances, the PM purchased 36 Rafale jets through an IGA between Paris and New Delhi. The 2015 IGA led to the signing a year later of a contract worth 7.8 billion euros for the delivery of 36 Rafale fighters over three years.
“The price and other terms of purchase will be negotiated with the French government after taking into account all relevant aspects, including the comparative purchase price of similar aircraft by other countries,” the ministry said. Indian Defense.
The 2016 Rafale contract provided for special features – called “India-specific equipment” – to be fitted to the 36 Rafales purchased by India. These functionalities were developed by the two equipment manufacturers (OEM) of the Rafale: the French companies Dassault and Thales.
India Specific Equipment also equips the Rafale Marine fighters currently being purchased. The MoD announcement states, “Additionally, the integration of Indian-designed equipment and the establishment of a maintenance, repair and operation (MRO) center for various systems will be incorporated into the contract documents. after due negotiations.
Three other Scorpene submarines
In an unexpected announcement, the DAC has also granted an AoN for the construction by Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) of three additional Scorpene submarines in the Buy (Indian) category.
“The acquisition of (three) additional submarines, with higher indigenous content, will not only help maintain the required level of force and operational readiness of the Indian Navy, but will also create significant employment opportunities in the national sector. It will also help the MDL to further enhance its capabilities and expertise in building submarines,” the MoD said.
MDL is already completing the construction of six conventionally powered Scorpène submarines. The MoD plans to improve their capability by fitting them with air independent propulsion (AIP). This is achieved by retrofitting the six Scorpene in turn with an AIP pack developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
It is unclear whether the three additional Scorpene submarines will be equipped ab initio with the DRDO’s native AIP, or whether they will in turn be recycled via MDL.
Ensure indigenous content
In a third sanction, the DAC approved a proposal to establish guidelines for achieving desired indigenous content in all categories of capital acquisition business. “It will help to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in critical manufacturing technologies and sustaining the life cycle of defense platforms/equipment through indigenous manufacturing,” the Ministry of Defense announced.
