THE RAFALES LAND – A Much Awaited Induction
July 29, 2020 would be marked as a red-letter day in the history of the Indian Air Force and, perhaps, the nation itself, going by the enthusiasm displayed even by the common man on that day when the first five Rafales arrived at Air force Station Ambala. The ferry from France and their entry into Indian airspace, having taken off on their last leg of the ferry flight from Al Dhafra air base in the UAE, a little after 1 pm was extensively covered on most channels, particularly from the moment the two Su-30 MKIs rendezvoused with the Rafale in their squadron’s signature arrowhead formation and escorted the five new entrants on the remainder of their flight to their designated base at Ambala. The first squadron to be equipped with the Rafale is 17 Squadron of the IAF, also known as the Flaming Arrows. I wonder if the meaning of ‘Rafale’ in French, which is ‘burst of fire’, was one of the considerations while resurrecting 17 Squadron to receive the Rafale. The event was telecast live over almost every TV channel in India and eagerly watched by millions in the country. The enthusiasm on their arrival was first signified by the welcoming radio transmission from the Indian Navy’s guided missile destroyer, INS Kolkatta, when the Rafales flew high over it, with a transmission of ‘May you touch the sky with glory, happy landings’. Promptly came the reply from the Rafale leader and the CO of the Squadron, Group Captain Harkirat Singh, who wished the Destroyer of the sister service with ‘fair winds and happy hunting’. The visuals of thousands of people on the streets of Ambala and on the terraces of houses to catch the first glimpse of these war birds further amplified the significance of the event.
After all, this was the first induction of a new fighter aircraft in the inventory of the Air Force after over 23 years when the Su-30 was inducted at Air Force Station, Pune in June 1997. Coming at a time when the Indian Air Force is at a depleted force level of around 32 combat squadrons against its sanctioned strength of 42, and in the midst of the standoff against China on the northern borders, the hopes and expectations of the Air Force were etched onto the faces of the man on the streets and rightly expressed by the tweets of the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister to give the new arrivals a rousing welcome.
Without going into the political controversy surrounding the contract for 36 Rafales, it does need to be highlighted that the requirement for 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), to equip six squadrons, was first projected by the Air Force in 2001 in view of the ageing and near-obsolescence of a large portion of its combat fleet. The subsequent saga of delays and breakdown in contractual/commercial negotiations has been widely covered by the media and need not be repeated here except to state that finally the contract for 36 aircraft, perhaps reduced from the originally planned 126 due to financial considerations, was finally signed in 2016.
The Dassault Rafale, a twin-engine delta wing with a canard, is a multi-role fighter aircraft with a wide array of sensors and weapons supported by a state of the art electronic warfare suite and is capable of performing a variety of missions. These range from air superiority, long-range air to surface strike, both on land and at sea, aerial reconnaissance and nuclear strike missions prompting the manufacturer Dassault to tout it as an Omni-role fighter. Be that as it may, this single aircraft type does perform the role of a multitude of specialized platforms in the French Air Force including the Jaguar, Mirage III/5, Mirage F-1 and the Mirage-2000 and others in the French Navy like the Super Etendard and the American F-8P Crusader.
The F-3R version contracted by India is a 4.5-generation aircraft, though the manufacturer claims some fifth generation capabilities, and brings some unique capabilities to the table, some of which are not currently available even in the upgraded Su-30MKI or the Mirage-2000 and adds a significant punch to the IAF’s offensive potential. It is a highly maneuverable aircraft due to its delta wing design with a coupled active canard system controlled by a digital Fly-By-Wire (FBW) control system. This gives the Rafale an agility matching the best in its class which, coupled with its advanced sensors, electronic warfare suite and weapons, could be decisive in close combat or Within Visual Range (WVR) combat.
Apart from its aerodynamic design, the two Snecma M-88 engines also contribute to the agility of the aircraft by producing about 75 KN (17,000 lbs) of thrust each with afterburner at sea level while in dry power, these engines produce 50 KN each permitting the aircraft to supercruise, that is cruise at speeds above Mach 1.0, with one drop tank and four air to air missiles in dry power. This is a feature that is generally available only in 5-generation aircraft and permits the aircraft to get to the combat zone faster or evade adversaries in chase at lesser fuel consumption and, thus, more economically. The supercruise in dry power also keeps the infrared signature of the aircraft relatively lower and makes evasion of infrared missiles easier. The engines are controlled by a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system that permits carefree use of the engines while reducing the possibility of surge or a flameout. It is not confirmed whether the IAF bought the aircraft with M-88-2 version of the engines or the upgraded and improved M-88-4E version, the latter producing greater thrust with reduced maintenance. In any event, the engine is of a modular construction for ease of maintenance and an upgrade to 4E standards is possible with replacement of certain sub-sections. Also notable is the use of many advanced technologies in the engine that permit greater reliability, longer life and also reduced radar and infrared signature of the engine. These include use of non-polluting combustion chambers, which eliminate smoke emissions and thus visual pick of the aircraft, single crystal turbine blades with the ability to withstand higher exhaust temperatures and thus improved thrust and longer life. In addition, powder metallurgy compressor disks and certain other technologies coupled with the aerodynamic design, like kidney-shaped air inlets under the wing roots, reduce the radar and infrared signature of the engines.
The main sensor on-board the Rafale is the Thales RBE-2 AA multi-mode airborne Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with a detection range on fighter class aircraft of around 200 Km. In the air superiority role, to give the aircraft the ability of a stealthy approach and engagement, the powerful radar is supported by a totally integrated passive front-sector electro-optical system known as Optronique Sectuer Frontal (OSF) operating both in the visible and infrared bands. This system can detect and identify airborne targets as well as targets on land and at sea at beyond visual ranges, which have not been specified, permitting the use of some of the armament from such ranges.
Coupled with such sensors, is the relatively low Radar Cross Section (RCS) of the aircraft, particularly from the frontal aspect, which would delay detection of the aircraft by adversaries when engaged in a battle for air superiority and closing in from frontal quarters at relatively high closing-in speeds. While not quite a stealthy aircraft and though the details of technologies used for this are understandably classified, the low RCS of the aircraft has been made possible by its design and extensive use of composites with radar absorbent materials and paints, apart from the special coating of the front windshield and canopy. It is estimated that about 70% of the aircraft’s surface is composite with appropriate paints. The low RCS of the aircraft improves the survivability of the aircraft in all types of missions including air superiority, air to surface attack or reconnaissance in a hostile air defense environment. This is further improved and aided by an integrated and highly advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) suite named SPECTRA developed by Thales in collaboration with MBDA specifically for the Rafale. The suite consists of a number of elements including multi-spectral sensors operating in a wide electro-magnetic band from radar to IR to laser with data-fusion and integration through a number of special computers for detection, identification, location and initiation of appropriate counter measures that include deception jamming and decoying through an active phased array Self Protection Jammer (SPJ). The system is aided by an MBDA developed Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) working in both the near and far infrared bands coupled with a Thales-developed Laser Warning System (LWS). The entire system is reprogrammable to cater to emerging new threats.
With this kind of survivability even in a highly hostile air defense environment, the aircraft gets an added advantage with a whole range of advanced weapons that can be carried on its 14 hard points in a mix of external fuel, reconnaissance or targeting pods, air to air and air to surface weapons with a total of nine tons of external load. In the air superiority role, the Rafale is equipped with, perhaps currently, the world’s best Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air to air missile, the MBDA Meteor, which has even been termed as a ‘game changer’ by many. Notwithstanding such hyperbole, the Meteor certainly seems to have a greater range as well as a larger ‘no escape zone’ as compared to any other BVR missile in the inventory of any air force enabled by a throttleable, or adjustable, ramjet which permits it to maintain a high supersonic speed through its cruise phase and still have residual power to engage a maneuvering target in the terminal phase. The missile is also network-enabled to permit its launch based on detection by a radar or sensor from another platform and the shared situational picture through a jam-resistant data link. Current maximum engagement range of this missile is classified but has been estimated at around 150 Km. This should enable the Rafale to take the first shot on its adversaries in BVR engagements. However, such BVR engagements with a longer-range missile must be treated with caution since in this ever-changing balance of offense versus defense, and advancements in technology with newer missiles, the situation could well change in favor of an adversary. For example, the Chinese are already touting an advanced BVR missile called the PL-15 which claims to have a longer range than the Meteor and would soon equip the PLAAF as also JF-17s of PAF. The BVR battle must, therefore, be fought innovatively as is expected of the IAF.
Another air-to-air missile MICA, also made by MBDA, supports the Meteor in air combat on the Rafale. MICA is currently the only missile in the world with two interoperable seeker heads, active radar and Imaging Infra Red (IIR), that make the missile highly resistant to countermeasures and thus highly effective in the near BVR and WVR combat. For close combat and situations below missile firing minimum ranges, the aircraft also continues to carry a 30 mm GIAT revolving cannon with a high rate of fire. The ejection seat, inclined rearwards at almost 30 degrees, helps in improving the g-tolerance of the pilots in close combat. Aiding in the employment of these sensors and weapons is a pilot-friendly glass cockpit based on the principle of data-fusion with ease of monitoring and control by the pilot. The entire range of information is presented to the pilot in easily interpreted formats, through a computer prioritizing the information, by a wide-angle holographic Heads Up Display (HUD), a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) and sighting system, two large flat panel Multi-Function Displays (MFDs) and a central collimated display. Most of these displays work through a touch interface easing the human-machine interface. Information sharing with other airborne platforms and ground sensors or control stations is also provided for through a secure data link and V/UHF communication systems. In addition to the HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick), where most of the control switches are placed in most modern aircraft like most cars now, a Direct Voice Input (DVI) system facilitates selection of a variety of sensors/systems and their functions through direct voice commands of the pilot thus greatly minimizing the workload and diversion of attention. Such systems fuse the machine and the pilot as almost one, which greatly enhance the effectiveness of the Rafale in fast-moving and demanding combat situations.
The entire avionics suite of the aircraft is integrated on the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) architecture to facilitate data-fusion and future upgrades or replacement of the modules in a plug-and-play system. Accurate and precise navigation information is provided by two Sagem SIGMA-95 Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) Inertial Navigation systems with an embedded GPS (INGPS) for continuous corrections and updates through Kalman filtering techniques. Coupled with the Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), this permits the aircraft to navigate to selected points with great accuracy. For low-altitude operations, the aircraft also has automatic terrain following capability through the combination of the navigation and flight control systems while the radar provides for terrain avoidance through obstruction warnings to permit Nap of the Earth (NOE) operations when required. In addition to the two main sensors, radar and OSF, currently integrated on the avionics bus, the Rafale is also equipped to carry a number of sensor pods for both reconnaissance and air to surface attack operations. For reconnaissance, it carries a Thales Reco New Generation/Areos pod consisting of bi-spectral, both IR and optical, sensors for long-range strategic reconnaissance tasks. In addition, the pod also has an IR Line Scan capability for tactical reconnaissance particularly from low-altitudes. The Reco Management System permits a variety of reconnaissance functions, which fill more than just a vital gap in the IAF’s current inventory created by the phasing out of the MiG-25R strategic reconnaissance platform. For target information as well as target designation, the aircraft also carries either the Thales Damocles XF, Talios or the Israeli advanced LITENING-G4 electro-optical and laser designation pods. Together with the IMA and a broadband data-link, these pods provide analyzed real-time sensory information to other friendly platforms or a ground station for further processing and dissemination.
Apart from conventional unguided air to surface weapons or well-known PGMs like Electro-Optical (EO) bombs, Laser Guided Bombs (LGBs) or anti-radiation and anti-shipping missiles, the Rafale has been designed to carry some long-range precision weapons to give the aircraft significant standoff precision attack capability. The most notable of these is the 1300 Kg SCALP EG cruise missile with a range of more than 250 Km. Recent upgrades of the MBDA SCALP include the use of a data-link to relay target information just before impact for Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) or even retargeting mid-way through its flight. Another such weapon is the Sagem-developed AASM Hammer. Yet another cruise missile is the MBDA Taurus KEPD (Kinetic Energy Penetration Destroyer) 350 with a range beyond 100 Km. However, the most notable of these attack capabilities is, perhaps, the nuclear strike capability of the aircraft which may have been a major factor in the political decision making matrix for its selection by India, to add to the airborne nuclear deterrent option. The French Rafales carry the diminutive ASMP-A Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) which weighs 850 lbs and is just over five meters long. The LACM is a Mach 3 missile like our Brahmos with a reported range of 500 Km. Perhaps; our Rafales would be capable of carrying the next-generation Brahmos.
Though the Rafale has significant capabilities in a variety of roles and can carry 9 tons of external loads, I must sound a cautionary note against all the hype surrounding the induction of this aircraft in the IAF. While the manufacturer, and some others, may claim that the aircraft is a ‘game-changer’ or an Omni-role for the aircraft, it certainly cannot be Omni-present in all combat zones. The aircraft has been inducted in limited numbers, just 36 to equip two squadrons. This is a number, which does not even cater for any reserves for major overhauls or losses. Also, as per the reports, one squadron would be at Ambala for the Western and Northern sectors while the second would be based at Hasimara in North Bengal, my old favorite base with lots of fond memories, to cater for the Northeast, from Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh. Even if the squadrons are split into two or three detachments each when required, these cannot be expected to react in time to challenge any hostile movements or intrusions, particularly in the air defense or air superiority roles, in every sector. Keeping the aircraft on the ground in readiness for the air superiority role at various locations also reduces the number of aircraft available for other missions. In this regard, numbers become very important. As the famous saying goes, ‘quantity has a quality of its own’. Maintenance facilities and logistics, particularly of storage of specialized and expensive weapons, at all likely locations would also pose their own problems.
With regard to numbers, it must be recalled that the initial package of 36 aircraft, including maintenance facilities initial spares and weapons, was purchased at just under 6 billion Euros or around Rupees 60,000 Crores at the prevailing exchange rates in 2016. Per unit cost of the aircraft itself was around 100 million Euros in 2016 prices. At such high prices, it is unlikely that the country would be able to afford more of these aircraft in the foreseeable future in view of the economic situation. Also, any additional purchases are likely to be at the cost of indigenous aircraft like the LCA Mk 1/1A/2. Considering the focus and efforts of the present Government on Atmanirbhar, it becomes even more unlikely that India would acquire any more Rafales, except a few for maintenance reserves or to make up for any losses. Once again, numbers become more important in view of the depleted combat squadrons of the IAF and we may well, and rightly, end up with a larger number of LCAs to get to 42 squadrons as soon as possible.
Also, while the aircraft itself is highly capable, it needs to be remembered that it is just the front end of a spear, so to say. For efficient employment of the aircraft, it still requires a number of combat support systems, like Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AEW&CS/AWACS), ISR and Air to Air Refueling (AAR) etc. The IAF is already deficient in such combat support systems and many more need to be inducted to cater to the many fronts where these, as also other existing combat aircraft of the IAF, may need to be efficiently employed. These systems also need some allocations from an already stressed capital acquisitions budget.
The hype surrounding the induction and the aircraft itself is also not healthy, in my personal opinion. Such excessive hype, in an attempt to bolster morale, tends to raise the expectations of the general public as also the political and air force leadership from the Rafale squadrons. Such expectations and demands may well put unnecessary pressure on the squadron personnel who may then tend to become risk-averse or adopt a zero error approach that does not suit a combat unit. At the other extreme, some personnel may become over-confident and take on unnecessary risks with possibility of errors. The lower–level leadership would thus need to play a crucial role in the smooth and effective induction of such high-value assets and in keeping the right balance during training to achieve optimum combat readiness in the shortest possible time. Having personally inducted two new combat types in the IAF and being fully aware of the demands and pressures, I cannot overemphasize this aspect. We must keep in mind that the Rafale is not a silver bullet for all the security threats facing the country.
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