Connect with us

Aviation

Why choosing between the Rafale and Hornet F/A 18 aircraft is difficult. Is India still awaiting offers?

Why choosing between the Rafale and Hornet F/A 18 aircraft is difficult. Is India still awaiting offers?

The search for suitable aircraft to be deployed on INS Vikrant, India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, began in earnest last year. The naval variant of the French company Dassault’s Rafale fighter jet (the Rafale Marine), as well as Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, have emerged as the top two contenders over the previous few years. India looked at both in depth.

The main issue is determining the criteria for equipping the Indian defense squad with the appropriate fighter jet. As the F18 aircraft will be extended if India places a new order, or if Boeing closes the F18 production facility, it will continue to maintain the present fleet. Another Rafale 18 is on the current list, however, it is a single-seat marine fighter jet.

Rafale-M and Super Hornet both have their advantages due to similar standardization, but where can India obtain a better deal?

The Indian Navy was delighted by the Rafale-M’s flawless maneuverability. The F/A-18’s potential for Indian aircraft carriers was similarly shown by Boeing in the US in late 2020. Finally, in 2022, at the Indian Naval Station Hansa in Goa, where INS Vikrant’s flight deck was modeled, the two competing multi-role carrier-borne fighters (MRCBF) were requested for operational demonstration tests. The first to enter service was the Rafale-M in February 2022, and Super Hornet in July.

A fighter plane with a similar configuration, the Rafale Marine is designed for the navy. The aircraft is offered in single- and dual-seat configurations, has a delta wing shape, and can resist 11 g. It is 15.27 meters in length and 10.80 meters in width. The GIAT 30M/719B gun on the Rafale is installed on it and has controlled 0.5 or 1-second bursts at 2500 RPM. It has a main missile that can be fired in multi-target fire and forget mode. In addition to the Meteor for battle beyond visual range, the aircraft is also capable of carrying air-to-air MBDA MICA missiles.

In comparison to the Rafale, the F/A-18 has a 20% larger airframe, 41% longer range, and better General Electric F414 engines that produce 35% more thrust. It was created by American aerospace and defense company Boeing. Similar to the Rafale, it travels at a speed of 1.8 Mach. The M61A1 Vulcan revolving canon of the F/A-18 had a maximum rate of fire of 6,000 rounds per minute. It has an AIM-7 Sparrow homing air intercept missile with a semi-active radar. The Super Hornet is equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missiles.

The government will make the decision in this case. We have accepted both. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will now make the decision. Both aircraft are in good shape. They have established their worth. However, there will now be additional problems. For instance, the Air Force already has Rafales. The Navy Chief said, “Now there will be a commonality for spare parts and support etc.

The Navy currently operates a Russian MiG 29K for INS Vikrant. But it wants to go for a completely indigenous fighter jet in the future and imported Rafale M or Super Hornet.

The ‘economy’ of the transaction would also be important given that India paid INR 59,000 crores (more than US$8 billion) for 36 Rafale aircraft for the IAF.Even though it would be the maritime version of the Rafale, it is thought that France may offer a better deal on “add-on” aircraft.

Aviation

No More Jet Airways. Supreme Court Says “No Choice”, Orders Liquidation

No More Jet Airways. Supreme Court Says "No Choice", Orders Liquidation

Jet Airways was once one of India’s leading airlines, known for its service and extensive network. Founded in 1993, it served millions of passengers, connecting cities across India and international destinations.

However, since grounding its flights in April 2019, Jet Airways has struggled to navigate financial turbulence, leading to years of efforts to revive the airline and return it to the skies.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered the liquidation of Jet Airways, citing “no choice” but to take this decisive step after the resolution plan failed to meet creditor obligations. The court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142, which allows it to make orders for “complete justice” in any case, overriding previous tribunal rulings.

China Set to Debut New J-35A Stealth Fighter at Zhuhai Airshow

The Jalan-Kalrock Consortium (JKC), which had won the bid to revive Jet, faced criticism for not fulfilling payment commitments to creditors, which included major banks like the State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank.

The Supreme Court’s ruling pointed to “peculiar and alarming” issues surrounding the resolution plan’s implementation, leading to its conclusion that liquidation was the only feasible outcome.

HondaJet’s New Auto-Throttle: A Game-Changer for Luxury Aviation

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, alongside Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized that while liquidation should be a last resort, it was necessary as the resolution plan was “no longer capable of implementation.”

In line with this decision, the court ordered that the ₹200 crore already infused by JKC be forfeited and directed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in Mumbai to appoint a liquidator to oversee the process.

JKC, a partnership between Murari Jalan, a UAE-based Indian entrepreneur, and Florian Fritsch, a Jet shareholder through Kalrock Capital Partners Limited, had taken ownership of Jet Airways two years after it was grounded. The consortium’s inability to fulfill its financial obligations has now led to this final verdict, marking the end of an era for Jet Airways in India.

Continue Reading

Trending