A HOST of recent developments have placed Dassault Aviation, France’s principal combat aircraft manufacturer, in pole position to potentially secure the IAF’s long-pending requirement for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) with its twin-engine Rafales.
The aim for us has always been to secure a domestic production line for the Rafale. Recently, the surge in export successes for the Rafale has meant that the Merignac production line will probably be backed up into 2030s, meaning a new line may be necessary for an Indian order.
Dassault has insisted on a minimum order of 100 aircraft to transfer production to India. With the naval fighter order recently won by the Rafale (a total of 26 for our new carrier), it’s possible we see a joint order for roughly 90-100 Rafales next year (26 for the Indian Navy, roughly 72+ for the Indian Air Force) to meet that number and get a line set up.
It also works for us because we could then pitch to be the regional hub for MRO and logistics support for Rafales in the Middle East and Asia – lots of potential customers, from Qatar to Indonesia. Cheaper MRO/logistics based out of India could help France sell more Rafales in the region, too.
Additional news with this potential order The Dassault Rafale export number would lead it to pass the 400 Rafale exported (around 425-430) all around as of 2023.
Bigger than the Mirage Programme exported numbers (305) in less than 3 times the amount of time needed for the Mirage.
The Airbus EuroFighter does well too with 151 fighter jet exported since the beggining of the programme.
Western Europe is doing well.
In before the US strongarms them into buying F16s/F35s instead.
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A HOST of recent developments have placed Dassault Aviation, France’s principal combat aircraft manufacturer, in pole position to potentially secure the IAF’s long-pending requirement for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) with its twin-engine Rafales.
The aim for us has always been to secure a domestic production line for the Rafale. Recently, the surge in export successes for the Rafale has meant that the Merignac production line will probably be backed up into 2030s, meaning a new line may be necessary for an Indian order.
Dassault has insisted on a minimum order of 100 aircraft to transfer production to India. With the naval fighter order recently won by the Rafale (a total of 26 for our new carrier), it’s possible we see a joint order for roughly 90-100 Rafales next year (26 for the Indian Navy, roughly 72+ for the Indian Air Force) to meet that number and get a line set up.
It also works for us because we could then pitch to be the regional hub for MRO and logistics support for Rafales in the Middle East and Asia – lots of potential customers, from Qatar to Indonesia. Cheaper MRO/logistics based out of India could help France sell more Rafales in the region, too.
Additional news with this potential order The Dassault Rafale export number would lead it to pass the 400 Rafale exported (around 425-430) all around as of 2023.
Bigger than the Mirage Programme exported numbers (305) in less than 3 times the amount of time needed for the Mirage.
The Airbus EuroFighter does well too with 151 fighter jet exported since the beggining of the programme.
Western Europe is doing well.
In before the US strongarms them into buying F16s/F35s instead.