Dassault to Offer Rafale for India Fighter Deal

rock45

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Dassault to Offer Rafale for India Fighter Deal
By PIERRE TRAN, PARIS

Dassault Aviation said Oct. 30 it would compete in India’s tender for 126 multirole combat aircraft, confirming a report in business daily La Tribune that French company would offer the Rafale fighter.
“We will respond to the request for proposals,” a Dassault spokesman said. The Rafale is the only combat aircraft in production at the company, which closed the line for the Mirage 2000 after delivering the last orders to Greece.
Dassault had hesitated before committing to the competition and sought guidance from the French government on the chances of success in India.
Dassault withdrew from an Indian competition for fighter training jets, which dragged on for some 20 years, over cost, said Dassault chief executive Charles Edelstenne. India awarded the trainer contract to BAE Systems’ Hawk.

Full story
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3146134&C=europe
 
This was discussed as a possibility a few months ago.

Dessault is closing the Mirage-2000 assembly lines so basically they are offering the Rafale at the same price as the Mirage-2000. Its a good deal IF the Indians stay with French tech.

The problem remains the same however, the IAF has some older Mirages but most of their AF is based off MiG and Sukoi designs, their Navy as well. It would make more sense for them to get SU-30s or Mig-29s. They IN has already orders for the Mig-29K.
 
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Refreshed

Hi mmarsh
This is a refreshed story according to the date at least. The Mirage 2000 production line isn't closing it's closed, Greece's birds were the last off it.

I think the Mig-29M or Mig-35 will win the never ending tender in the end but France could make it interesting. The India investment so far is the newer Mig-29K is for the Russian built carries which is already taking too long to build. I think the order was for 16 K models and 3 KUBT models a big investment but not earth shattering. If the catapult on the Russian flat top can be setup or even changed to launch and receive French Rafale M fighters. This way France could bit for the 126 tender and at the same time steal the navy away from Russia's Mig-29k? If I remember right as part of the deal for the carriers India had to buy Mig-29k, I'm looking for that right now. Assign the Fulcrums to a air force squadron and go French? I would assume changing a catapult on a aircraft carrier is big bucks but if France help? You could train both Naval and Air Force personnel on the same aircraft almost like F-4s from days gone past. Think about money that could be saved on parts, training, weapons, and personnel. Maybe some cool and improved Rafale equipment, weapons, etc could be upgraded into India's Mirage 2000 birds? Sound too crazy? As a side note since US and Indian relations have improved so much lately Rafale's can land on US carries too
 
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