Recently, American media have noticed that the French Rafale M fighter jet is about to go to India for carrier takeoff and landing tests, participating in the bidding for the procurement project of India's new carrier based aircraft.US media analysis suggests that the elevators of the Rafale M fighter jet and India's first domestically produced aircraft carrier may not be of the same size. The US media also instigated that everything India has done on the new carrier based aircraft is happening against the backdrop of China's rapid development in the aircraft carrier field.

Screenshot of the "War Zone" column report on the "Power" website

On January 3rd, the "Theater" column of the US "Power" website reported that France's "Rafale M" carrier based fighter jet will go to India for land-based takeoff and landing tests this week, competing head-on with the US developed F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet" fighter jet and bidding for the Indian Navy's new carrier based fighter jet project.According to reports, the Rafale M fighter jet from French company Dassault Systemes is scheduled to undergo testing at the Hanseatic Naval Base in southern Goa, India before January 6th. The base has a shore based testing facility, including a ski jump ramp designed to mimic the ski jump deck of an Indian Navy aircraft carrier. India is likely to select carrier based aircraft for its first domestically produced aircraft carrier, the Vikrant, based on this test result and other factors.

Screen of the "Rafale M" carrier based aircraft taking off from the aircraft carrier

According to reports from Indian media, the French Rafale M fighter jet will undergo a 12 day test at India's carrier based testing facility, simulating takeoff and landing on an aircraft carrier.According to the introduction of the "War Zone", the "Rafale M" fighter jet was originally developed for the French Navy. As the carrier based fighter of the only aircraft carrier of the French Navy, the "Charles de Gaulle", it has been continuously improved and upgraded since its commissioning in 2001, using new weapons and avionics equipment, including active electronic minesweeper array (AESA) radar,and has participated in multiple actual battles. The Rafale M fighter jet also has the ability to take off and land on US aircraft carriers.

The report mentioned that the land-based version of the "Rafale" series fighter jets has been in service with the Indian Air Force, including forward deployment in the so-called "Ladakh" region,where tensions between China and India include ongoing confrontations.However, reports suggest that both the "Rafale M" and the "Super Hornet" may face more obstacles before boarding the Indian domestic aircraft carrier "Vikrant".

According to the current equipment of this aircraft carrier, the size of the elevator used to transport carrier based fighter jets is too small, and it seems to be only suitable for the Russian made MiG-29K carrier based fighter jets that India has already introduced. The report states that considering this, the Indian Navy's current approach of evaluating these two fighter jets that do not fit in size "seems somewhat strange".

According to the Hindustan Times, the Indian Navy can try leasing "four to five" Rafale fighter jets from France this year to familiarize pilots with the aircraft's onboard operations and make necessary modifications to the Vikrant aircraft carrier.

The report also stated that the Indian Navy may still be looking forward to the second domestically produced aircraft carrier, which will have a displacement of about 65000 tons, compared to the displacement of only 40000 tons for the Vikrant.

Super Hornet fighter jet undergoes ski jump takeoff test in India

According to reports, India's other candidate new carrier based aircraft also include a carrier based version to cope with the domestically produced LCA "Glorious" fighter jet. India is currently developing a twin engine version of the "Glorious" carrier based aircraft.

The report also concluded that all of India's actions took place against the backdrop of China's rapid development in the aircraft carrier field. While India has introduced the Russian made "Vikramaditya" aircraft carrier and built its first domestically produced aircraft carrier,China has already deployed two aircraft carriers.

At least for now, India can expect to observe the performance of two advanced Western carrier based fighter jets up close. India's first domestically produced aircraft carrier, the Vikrant, is still undergoing sea trials, and it is currently uncertain which carrier based fighter jet will be used and to what extent modifications may be required.

Source: Military of Strong Countries