IAF to boost Rafale Jets power, to acquire Rs 15,000 crore proposed Meteor Air-to-Air missiles with a range of…
India has offered a Rs 1,500 billion purchase of Meteor air-to-air missiles manufactured by European firm MBDA for the Indian Air Force’s frontline Rafale fighter jet fleet. These jets can only fire European long-range missiles.
IAF to increase strength of Rafale Jets by purchasing Meteor Air-to-Air missiles for proposed Rs 15,000 billion
India is further enhancing its air combat capabilities with the planned purchase of a significant number of Meteor air-to-air missiles for the Indian Air Force’s frontline fleet of Rafale fighter jets.The Rafale fighter jet squadron is the only squadron in the Indian Air Force capable of firing European long-range missiles with a range of up to 200 kilometres.
Defense sources told ANI that the nearly Rs 1,500 billion proposal for the purchase of these Meteor beyond visual range missiles manufactured by European firm MBDA is at an advanced stage in the Ministry of Defense and is likely to be approved in a high-level meeting scheduled to be held soon.
The Indian Air Force has ordered Meteors alongside the initial batch of 36 Rafales it purchased from France in 2016, and they are also part of the 26 naval Rafales scheduled to arrive in the next few years.
India successfully destroyed Pakistan’s military and terrorist targets during Operation Sindoor, forcing it to seek a ceasefire within four days of the conflict in May this year.
Attacking Indian warplanes used long-range weapons to hit enemy targets; Following this, Pakistan Air Force tried to launch a massive retaliation using Chinese air-to-air and surface-to-air weapons, but failed miserably.
Sources said that the Pakistan Air Force fired a large number of PL-15 air-to-air missiles at Indian aircraft, but no success was achieved. Pakistanis have been purchasing a significant number of missiles from China in the last few years.
India has embarked on a major program to equip its entire fleets with powerful BVR capability as it plans to purchase around 700 Astra Mark 2 air-to-air missiles to be developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
The missiles will be capable of hitting targets over 200 km and will be equipped for Su-30 and LCA fleets. The Rafale fleet will be equipped with Meteor and may receive an indigenous anti-radiation missile in the future.
