The induction of five Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force will be a big boost for the country’s air power. Their presence will be a ‘game changer’ in many ways for India. Rafale, with its ‘Omnirole’ capabilities, complies with the requirement to carry out the widest range of roles with the smallest number of aircraft.

Rafale, sporting a moderate size, is ‘extremely powerful, superbly agile and very discrete’. The machine not only integrates the largest and most modern range of sensors, but also increases their efficiency with ‘multi-sensor data fusion’.

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The aircraft, made by Dassault Aviation, is a twin-jet fighter aircraft, which is equipped with a wide range of weapons, that allows it to perform a wide range of missions such as reconnaissance, close air support, Dynamic Targeting, Air-to-ground precision strike among others.

Here are some of the most striking features of the Rafale jets:

The Rafale fighter jets come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, low-band jammers, infra-red search and tracking systems, radar warning receivers and 10-hour flight data recording.

The jets can jam enemy radars and also detect targets anywhere including sea, ground and air.

The Rafale can attain a maximum speed of Mach 1.8/750 Kt.v(2,222.6km per hour). Its advanced engine is capable of allowing the throttle to shift from combat to idle power in less than three seconds.

The mainstay of the weapons system of the Rafale jets are the Meteor missiles, the Scalp missile and the MICA system.

Made by European missile maker MBDA, the Meteor is the next generation of beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile. It has been designed keeping in mind the common threats facing France, UK, Italy, Germany and Spain and aims to revolutionise air-to-air combat.

The Rafale can attain a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet and is capable of travelling for 3700kms without refuelling.

The Meteor missiles have an air-strike range of 150 kilometres and are capable of destroying an enemy nation’s aircraft without even crossing the border.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, an expert told news agency PTI.

The Scalp is a long-range cruise missile. It is known to have pinpoint terminal accuracy, which it achieves through an accurate seeker and target recognition system.

The Rafale jets will also be equipped with the MICA weapon system which is integrated into IAF’s Mirage 2000 aircraft.

More Specifications:

Wing span: 10.90 m

Length: 15.30 m

Height: 5.30 m

Top Speed: 1.8 Mach at high altitude

Fuel (internal): 4.7 tonnes

Fuel (external): up to 6.7 tonnes

Source: Dassault aviation website