Rafale Fighter Jet

• Context (LM): Rafale Fighter Jets were used in Operation Sindoor.

About Rafale Fighter Jet

• The Dassault Rafale is a 4.5 generation, multirole combat aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation, serving as a critical asset for the French Air Force and Navy.
• India enhanced its air combat capabilities by procuring 36 Rafales in a €7.8 billion deal signed in 2016, with deliveries expected to be completed by 2022.

Key Features

• Engines: Powered by 2 engines, enabling supercruise (supersonic flight without afterburners).
• Speed: Mach 1.8 with a combat radius of 1,000 km
• Avionics: Equipped with RBE2 AESA radar, SPECTRA electronic warfare system, and Helmet Mounted Display, providing superior situational awareness and survivability.

Variants

• Rafale C: Single-seat variant for the Air Force.
• Rafale B: Twin-seat variant for training and operational flexibility.
• Rafale M: Naval variant optimised for carrier operations.

Weapons

• Air-to-Air: Meteor (Beyond Visual Range missile), MICA (short-range, all-aspect missile)
• Air-to-Ground: SCALP, HAMMER
• Anti-Ship: Exocet and Naval SCALP (for maritime strike operations)

Storm Shadow Air-launched Long-range Precision (SCALP) Missile or “Storm Shadow”

• Type: Long-range, air-launched cruise missile.
• Manufacturer: Missile Business Development Agency (European defence company).
• Range: Over 500 km.
• Combat Use: Deployed for precision strikes against high-value, fixed targets in enemy territory, including fortified positions and critical infrastructure.
• Guidance System: Global Positioning System(GPS), Inertial Navigation System (INS), and Terrain Referenced Positioning Refinement On Map (TERPROM).
• Warhead: BROACH (penetrates bunkers and hardened facilities).
• Strategic Role: It enabled India to strike PoK infrastructure without violating the Line of Control (LoC), thus avoiding direct escalation.

Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) Precision-Guided Bomb

• Type: Medium-range, air-to-ground bomb.
• Manufacturer: Safran Electronics & Defense (France).
• Range: 60-70 km (with boosters).
• Key Features: Modular design that can be equipped with GPS, infrared, and laser guidance for various targets, making it effective for both stationary and moving targets.
• Warhead: 250 kg-class; can be used for bunker busting or fragmentation.
• Strategic Role: It was crucial for targeting mobile terrorist camps in rugged PoK terrain, offering precise strike capability with minimal personnel risk.