The Indian Navy is set to choose between Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale M jets, both of which meet the requirements of the Navy.
According to Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, the selection will be made by the government, and the Rafale M has an advantage in terms of spares and support since it has commonality with the Air Force. Speaking at the recently concluded Raisina Dialogue, which brought together naval chiefs from various countries, Adm Kumar highlighted the challenges of transnational maritime domains and the importance of issue-based convergence.
In the interim, the Navy plans to procure 26 jets from abroad to fill the gap as the existing MiG-29Ks may not last until an indigenous Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the DRDO can operate off the Navy’s aircraft carriers, which are expected by 2034. At the session on the “future of warfare,” Adm Kumar emphasized the importance of working in small groups to build trust among partner countries, increase interoperability, and better domain awareness.
The panel also discussed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in decision-making, with Adm John C Aquilino, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, cautioning against losing sight of the human dimension of military operations. Adm. Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff of the UK, noted that while AI can crunch data faster than a human, it lacks human instinct and understanding of risk. Meanwhile, Gen Koji Yamazaki, Chief of Staff, Japan Ground Self-Defence Force, stressed the importance of building comprehensive defense capabilities to become secure and resilient in cyber space and outer space.
Fundamentally, naval operations remain the same, according to Vice Adm. Angus Topshee, Commander of Royal Canadian Navy, who added that Canada is working with its allies on a range of issues and that interacting with other Navies provides access to various perspectives to formulate a comprehensive way forward. As countries continue to navigate the challenges of the transnational maritime domain, issue-based convergence and technological innovation will remain key to ensuring security and resilience.
Meanwhile …
According to people familiar with the process, during the forthcoming visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron, an announcement related to the Rafale M is likely to be made. The French leader is expected to visit India in April, though nothing has been announced officially from either side.
Financial Express Online has reported earlier that choosing the Rafale M for the navy will be easy as the Indian Air Force is already operating two squadrons of the Rafale fighter. And this means that the maintenance spares will be easy to share between the two services. Also, it has been reported that almost 85 percent of its components will be shared with the IAF variant. And there are plans to set up an MRO facility in India. And this means including technology, repairs etc will all be standardized and this implies more efficiency when it comes to the cost of operating these fighter jets.
By when can Dassault Aviation deliver the aircraft in case an order is placed?
Reports have indicated that the French government is ready to send some of the Rafale M fighter jets from its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and give them to India.
In the case of F/A-18 Super Hornet, though, it meets the Indian Navy’s operational requirements as well as geopolitical consideration amidst AUKUS (Australia, the UK and US) and QUAD (India, Japan, Australia and the US).
What goes against the American fighter jet is that the technology it is offering is old and there is no further scope of upgrade when it will be required. Also, in an official statement which was issued last month (February 23, 2023) the US based Boeing Company announced that the production line for the F/A-18 Super Hornets will be closed late 2025 and likely to be extended if there is an order placed by an international customer.
In the official statement, Steve Nordlund, Boeing Air Dominance vice president and St. Louis site leader, is quoted as saying: “We are planning for our future, and building fighter aircraft is in our DNA,” adding, “As we invest in and develop the next era of capability, we are applying the same innovation and expertise that made the F/A-18 a workhorse for the US Navy and air forces around the world for nearly 40 years.”