IAF gets first Rafale, obtains decisive edge over Pakistan's F-16

India received  first of 36 Rafale fighter jets at  Dassault Aviation facility in Mérignac. It was officially handed over to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday. This has given a big boost to India’s defence capability. Currently, India has fighter jets such as Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG 29, Mir-2000 and indigeusly built Tejas. However,  Rafale will be most capable fighter aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF). 

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Better than Sukhoi 

 Rafale is fitted with 14 hard points. Its total external lo capacity is more than 9 tonnes. Hence, it can lift equivalent of its own empty weight in paylos. Its loitering capacity is 1.5 times that of Sukhoi. range is 780 to 1055 km as against 400-550 km of a Sukhoi jet. Similarly,  Rafale jet can eng in 5 sorties per 24 hours against 3 by Sukhoi. Also, Rafale maintenance time per flight hour is 2.25 hours against 6-8 hrs for or fighters. Moreover,  Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines, which helps it attain a range of more than 3,700 km. 

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It also has a Martin-Baker Mark 16F ‘zero-zero’ ejection seat, capable of operating at zero speed and altitude. Having a top speed of 2223 km, it is equipped with laser-guided bombs weighing 900 kg. 2500 rounds per minute can be fired from its internal cann.  Furrmore, presence of MICA beyond visual range missile, Hammer air-to-ground missile, Meteor, and Scalp missiles give IAF ability to strike enemy targets 600 km away without having to cross Indian air . As country only h third and fourth generation fighter jets till w, newly inducted Rafale considered as a 4.5 generation aircraft will w le pack.

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F-16 competition? 

According to some experts, Pakistan would t have dared to launch a counter-attack after Balakot airstrikes h India possessed  Rafale jet. This is because of its superior attack and beyond visual range capability. While dimensions of  Rafale and Pakistan’s Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon jet are similar, latter is only a fourth-generation aircraft. Similarly,  Rafale aircraft can carry a weight of 24.5 tonnes as against 21.7 tonnes by F-16. This implies that  Rafale can lo more weapons. Also, F-16 jets do t have semi-stealth techlogy and nuclear capability which  Rafale aircraft have. Thus, combined with Sukhoi, IAF will be in a comfortable position to handle F-16s. 

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