India near to sign deal for 26 French Rafale M for Indian Navy

Following the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Indian Navy will receive Rafale fighter aircraft from France. The Rafale was previously chosen by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for its new squadron, and now the Indian Navy is set to acquire the Rafale M to deploy on INS Vikrant.

The Indian Navy rejected the American F/A-18 Super Hornet in favour of the Rafale deal. The Navy tested both fighter jets earlier this year at the Indian Naval Station Hansa in Goa.

The Indian Navy intends to retire 43 obsolete Russian fighter jets, the MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB, from its fleet operating out form INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya carriers.

INS Vikramaditya is a Kyiv-class aircraft carrier of the Soviet Union which has been modernized in India. Both these warships are STOBAR aircraft carriers.

businessworld