Update The Rafale Deal

Update The Rafale Deal

       

     New update on the Rafale deal, just after signing the Qatar Rafale deal the French defense minister Juan comes to Delhi and met his counterpart Manohar, both discussed about the possibility of Rafale deals, since most countries waiting to announce their decision due to the Indian MMRCA program, It's the Egypt who first announced the Rafale deal and within a days they signed the deal,

       Rafale manufacture Dassault also promised to deliver first two Rafales to Egypt this year, and the contract value available on the public domain, the deal valued $6 billions, but which include a $1.5 billions for Supplying a French built Fremm Frigate, by checking the Rafale Value Egypt gets the Rafale F 3 verison that's 4th Tranche of Rafale with AESA Radars. nothing but The Egypt deal is good, since they receive 24 Rafale's along with some Hundred MICA IR and EM missiles and ground support elements, and additional M88 Engines.

         After the Egypt deal India announced to scrap the existing MMRCA tender and goes for G-G deal for procure 36 Rafale, while initial reports mentioned the deal valued  $4.2 billions, seems it's also a Good deal, but no one knows the additional set of  supply, missiles and support, also PM promised in Paris that Government soon make the contract with Paris to supply Rafale fighters.

          Since no clear vision about the Rafale's actual value, last week Qatar announced and make an agreement with France to supply 24 Rafale F 3 fighters at the cost of some $7 billions, seems much high compared to other aircrafts, Qatar is the second foreign customer who buys the Rafale, also some insider report mentions the Deal include launching Qatari satellites from French Rockets, but no sources to confirm either deny it.

      In fighter Jet purchase, one should not buy just the Fighters, he also buys additional equipments,  that comes from missiles to spare engines, A Single Rafale Package includes A Fly away condition fighter with full F3 Standard, one spare Engine, upto 10 MICA IR and EM missile 5 METOR Missile, HUD, and support elements, while the country make an order of other Ground strike munitions like SCLAP EG, PGM later in huge numbers. a single MICA missile costs $2.5 millions, meteor also costs more than $2 millions, a single M 88 Spare engine costs approx $5 millions, and another millions of ground supports HUD's and maintenance. according to wiki single Flyaway F3 costs nearly $140 millions.

      So if we add all these above elements in a single F3 the cost tweaked over $180 millions, which means one F3 needs $180 millions to make sorties, so if we calculate Indian order with some factor of $180 million for a single package the total number 36 could reach $6.4 billions also with two or four simulators and some additional RBE 2 AESA, the deal value comes $7 billions.  where Economic times reported the deal valued nearly $8 billions, if their reports are correct India may add more number of Ground strike Munitions.

       Also it's the Economic times quoted that Juan offers 25% discount on Indian Rafale deal which can't be believable, since it's a huge amount could reach closely $2 billions,

      As per many news report France in talks with Indian Private companies to partner with Dassault  to make Rafale in India, which can decrease costs and also we get all available support of Rafale fleet whether it's mechanical or software issues/components.

          During the Mirage up gradation deal India almost spend nearly $1.2 billions to acquire  450 MICA IR and EM missile which can be fitted in the Mirage Aircraft, since it can't fire any other Russian or Indian Missiles due to OEM and IP. as per recent reports only some 40 Mirage 2000 TI are operational, and can do sorties, which means 450 is quite good numbers to arm the Mirages.

          The Rafale's primary BVR missile is the Metor missile, and it uses MICA EM for WVR and Mica IR for heat seeking all aspect missile, also it can't adopt any other Air to air missiles, But it can support some other Ground strike munitions such as Israeli American and French munitions, but yet again the Rafale can't fire Russian Ground strike missiles, so the dream of firing Brahmos missile always a dream, until if a Indian Private firm joined and build Rafale's in India with full Transfer of Technology.

Update June 2015 

The New Reports suggest that  French Defense Minister said in the Paris Airshow after talking with the HAL officials, that both government working closer to sign the Agreement, and said I will be there in India by coming months to sign the Rafale contract,

Once signed IAF will receive the First Rafale Aircrafts by 2017 Only.