FLASH! Two Rafales Coming To Aero India 2011

This was a rumour doing the rounds for a while. Finally got an official confirmation from Dassault today. Two French Navy Rafales will make their first public Indian appearance at Aero India 2011 next month at the IAF’s Yelahanka air force base outside Bangalore. Dassault will also be bringing a Falcon 7X and a Falcon 2000LX.

[@6.00PM IST] The Rafale was seen as something of an underdog in the MMRCA competition for a while, though recent reports have put it on top of the pack in the $11-billion deal for 126 fighter aircraft. Conspiciously closed to the media in India, Dassault’s bird has been the least visible of the six contenders in the competition — a deliberate strategy, it so happens. Its appearance next month outside Bangalore will be the first time the aircraft will be seen in public in India (in September 2009, the aircraft was in India for trials, and was usefully snapped at the time by a single photographer).

Dassault believes that the MMRCA competition is a professional tender, and that flaunting the aircraft (at considerable expense, of course) at an air show in India is an unnecessary exercise. It would therefore be interesting to know what’s changed now. Does Dassault smell a win? Clearly the company is convinced that this is the one time that it shouldn’t be conservative about displaying their contender.

There’s no confirmation yet on the MiG-35, but chances are it’ll be there too. So it looks like we’re going to have a full line up of all six MMRCA horses in a pretty little courseline at Yelahanka. How sweet would that be.

15 thoughts on “FLASH! Two Rafales Coming To Aero India 2011”

  1. May I just say, trés bien, merci.Looking forward to the Rafale making it's case for the MRCA decision.

    …Trust Dassault to go 'If Eurofighter is bringing one, we bring two.'

  2. When you buy weapons, you buy for the politics as much as the weapons themselves. Not buying American will prove to be a major strategic error. It is India who needs America not the other way round. I don't say India should bend over for them, but we need to show that have moved from our old outdated Non-Aligned diplomatic position to a decisively pro-American one. We will have prove that we respect American interests and buying proven American fighters will go some way to making a down payment on that relationship.

  3. Why would India want to become a vassal of America ? America's poodles are all in difficult situations now. It would be a major strategic error.

  4. What changed now? Is that the French aircraft carrier is in India right now for naval exercises and at the expense of the French state (now even more desperate to find exports after the delays in Brazil and UAE) will drop off jets for the show. Dassault has not had the will or money to send Rafale's themselves since they make almost all money on civilian products.

  5. @anonymous 9:46
    Wish granted by the Hon PM. The Lockheed Plant at Fort Worth, lock stock and bolt, is part of the Nuclear deal signed with India,will be shifted to B'lore. The F-16IN Super Viper will be made in India, out goes the 'Tejas'. And that will open doors to the F-22. Which is the only thing that will send shivers down the spine of CHENGDU and the only thing that will give the strategic
    edge to India in the whole of Asia,period! All aspects covered air combat, ground attack, ECM or intelligence. Wish the best for India, especially the armed forces who have been denied the best all these years.

  6. Not buying from the U.S is the best bet. As long as we are pushed by towards America by the Manmohan singh government, India will lose it's independence which is not a good thing for the people of India. So no to even screws and nuts from the U.S They can keep all the nut jobs including the strategic and political nutjobs in the U.S.

  7. who r u kidding man!we need america?we dont need em as much as they want us!without us they cant do sh&t in this region ,thats truth!just wait 4 some time,i bet they themselves will offer their stealth planes though with strings attached!it just stared now,they will give us every possible weapons against em,this aero india s gonna b action packed!!

  8. I have long said that Dassault needs to look at IAF and India in a different light. Co-develop and the world will buy from us.

    – Manne

  9. Yes buying american has its advantages, ie: proven technology and reliability, but it also puts India at the mercy of a fickle global power, opening the door to certain American pressure.
    American technology comes with too many strings attached. Any action in the geostrategic scene that clashes againsts Americans interests and say goodbye to military supplies, putting India in a very difficult postion.
    Imagine a conflictbetween India and Pakistan, in which America supplies both contending countries, who would USA decide to support? Will it stop supplying weapons to one, or the other? or both? It all depends who will favour more America's interests.
    USA will never protect India's interests, but its own.
    India should diversify to an extent its military tech. acquisitions (with reliable countries that can not have conflict of interests)and keep further developing its indigenous capabilities.

  10. Rafale is a true multirole combat fighter suitable for a range of missions and also can do the heavylifting to support the SU30-mki …..
    ALSO RRANCE IS MEMBER OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL …that will give some additional leverage internationally … since even China is now seeking weapons from France …the Rafale if chosen by India will get some advantage to put pressure on French to stop selling critical tech to China….

  11. India is a democracy. America is a democracy. Therefore our interests are naturally aligned. Only the foolishness of Indian leftists have prevented a closer US-Indian relationship.

    Russia on the other hand is a corrupt oligarchy masquerading as a democracy. India needs to pick her allies better and distant herself from that wretched petro-state.

  12. @ anon of 946 AM

    oh wait…so distancing from russia the corrupt oligarchy is why we should align with a country who invaded Iraq for petrol interests…if thorium becomes important enough…US will have no qualms about attacking India…u can bet on that 🙂

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