Rafale-M, the marine version of the French-origin Rafale fighter jet, has been successfully test-fired at Indian Navy’s shore-based test facility located in the naval air station INS Hansa in Goa. These tests were undertaken as part of the navy’s scouting for fighter jets which will serve India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.
Rafale-M underwent exhaustive and extensive trials at the 283-metre mocked-up ski-jump facility at the station. “Tests were done to check its (Rafale-Marine's) take-off (capability) from the deck of your (India's) carrier and it has done very well,” said French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain. The ski-jump is an upward-curved ramp which allows jets to take-off by forcing it upwards. This is opposed to CATOBAR ("Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery" or "Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery"), which is used predominantly in US navy aircraft carriers.
INS Hansa had created an imitation of the INS Vikrant’s operational and climatic environment to conduct the tests. Boeing’s Super Hornet (F/A-18) jets will be put to test at the same facility next month, as per a report by The Economic Times (ET). Both Rafale-M and F/A-18 jets have been modified to the required conditions for the tests. The India Navy is scouting for jets to operate on aircraft carrier which can carry precision-guided bombs and air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, the ET quotes defence sources saying.
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The Indian Navy issued a Request for Interest (RFI) for the acquisition of 57 multi-role carrier-borne fighter aircraft back in 2017. France Dassault Aviation and America’s Boeing were amongst the companies which had shown interest. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency is currently developing indigenous Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF). The first trial of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft-Marine (LCA-M) is expected by 2026, with its final induction planned by 2031, as per reports.
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