Why could the Indian Air Force reject the second batch of Dassault Rafale jets?

As the Indian Air Force (IAF) looks to further bolster its aerial fleet after the successful acquisition of French Dassault Rafales, its proposed Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) 2.0 contract for the procurement of 114 additional fighters will look for suitors from the best fighters on the face of the planet.

With the newly procured Rafales providing a solid foundation for the IAF to look out for an equal or an even better fighter jet, two options loom around for India to bank on, which include additional Rafale jets from France or the new F-15EX.

Despite the addition of the 4.5 generation Rafales, IAF’s current strength stands at 31 squadrons against the sanctioned one of 42 squadrons and with the threats of neighbors – China and Pakistan lurking around each of its borders, here are a few reasons that IAF experts believe why India could opt for F-15EX over additional Rafale jets.

SIZE, FRAME, SPEED AND RANGE

The most advanced version of the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter jet, the F-15EX uses the frame of the classic F-15 and bears a resemblance to the Su-30 MKI in terms of its size.

Due to its size, the F-15EX fulfills a variety of roles like air superiority, interceptor, deep penetration strikes against enemy infrastructure, strategic bombing, and ground attack.

F-15EX has a combat range of 1,100 miles as compared to the 670 miles range offered by the F-35s. Moreover, the F-15EX has a speed of Mach 2.5 as compared to F-35s speed of Mach 1.6 and can accommodate heavy radars.

A BETTER DOGFIGHTER

The F-35s are heavily loaded with stealth features and air-to-ground missions, which make it a less capable dogfighter than the F-15 EX in close quarters.

With Emerging threats from China and Pakistan, there is a need for an aircraft that can fly for longer hours, is heavily equipped with weapons systems, and is big enough to carry substantial fuel tanks, so that they do not have to return to the airbase for refueling.

F-15EX is just the fighter, with its predecessors already battle-tested in the middle-east and with their ability to strike deep into enemy terrority with the capability of carrying nuclear weapons makes them invincible.

MORE WEAPONS

The F-15EX can carry twenty-two air-to-air missiles and other heavy weapons, including ASAT, JASSM-ER, GBU-28 Bunker Buster laser-guided bomb, hypersonic cruise missiles, and AGM-84H SLAM ER, which are far more than an F-35’s payload capacity.

A MULTIROLE FIGHTER

While an F-35 fighter is a proven valuable combat aircraft and serves as their most advanced jet in their inventory, the F-15EX serves a different role under the US Air Force. It can be used for enforcing no-fly zones, homeland defense, or delivering stand-off munitions in fights with no or limited air defenses.No More Rafales! Why Indian Air Force Could Reject Second Batch Of Dassault Rafale Jets?

F-15EX, being a heavy fighter is deployed for strategic effect due to their potent deterrent capability, as compared to their smaller cousin F-35, which has a much-restricted role. Therefore, it becomes easier for enemy aircraft or defense systems to engage against the smaller F-35s than be deployed against the more potent F-15EX.

SUITABILITY IN LADAKH REGION

With reports of the IAF deploying Su-30s, MKI, Jaguar, Mirage 2000 fighters and potentially the Rafales in the Ladakh region against the Chinese, the addition of the F-15EX could be a game-changer due to the fighter’s heavy engine capacities making it better suited to operability in high altitude regions.

It is predicted that there may come a time, when stealth drones carrying out the roles and functions of an F-35 fighter may end up replacing the jet. However, the possibility of that applying to a heavyweight fighter like the F-15EX is highly unlikely.

OPEN MISSION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE (OMS)

Developed by American aerospace juggernauts Boeing, the two-seat fighter overshadows its predecessor F-15s because of its Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture.

SUITABILITY IN LADAKH REGION

With reports of the IAF deploying Su-30s, MKI, Jaguar, Mirage 2000 fighters and potentially the Rafales in the Ladakh region against the Chinese, the addition of the F-15EX could be a game-changer due to the fighter’s heavy engine capacities making it better suited to operability in high altitude regions.

It is predicted that there may come a time, when stealth drones carrying out the roles and functions of an F-35 fighter may end up replacing the jet. However, the possibility of that applying to a heavyweight fighter like the F-15EX is highly unlikely.

OPEN MISSION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE (OMS)

Developed by American aerospace juggernauts Boeing, the two-seat fighter overshadows its predecessor F-15s because of its Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture.

According to Boeing, “The most significant difference between the F-15EX and legacy F-15s lies in its Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture. The OMS architecture will enable the rapid insertion of the latest aircraft technologies.”

WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY?

Dr. Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, while praising the digital capabilities of the latest addition to the F-15 fighter family, says,

“India doesn’t need to go out for Rafales again because we already have three dozens of them, at least by the time all our delivered. We need to look for a different fighter, which offers something extra, something on the lines of an F-35, Su-57 or the new F-15 (F-15EX) jets. The main idea was to have a superior air fleet which was settled with the French deal, now it is about adding extra quality to the ranks while also taking care of the quantity required by our forces.”, “The most significant difference between the F-15EX and legacy F-15s lies in its Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture. The OMS architecture will enable the rapid insertion of the latest aircraft technologies.”

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, while praising the digital capabilities of the latest addition to the F-15 fighter family, says,

“The F-15EX’s digital backbone, open mission systems, and generous payload capacity fit well with our vision for future net-enabled warfare, cotinually upgrading systems, and how they share data across the Joint Force, is critical for defeating advanced threats. F-15EX is designed to evolve from day one.”

According to a serving Group Captain in the Indian Air Force who did not wish to be named, there is a need for India to get its hands on fighters apart from the Rafales and F-15EX falls into it.

 

 

 

Source:-  Quora