New Delhi, November 30 (HS): Mica, Meteor, and Scalp missiles will be installed on the French Rafale-M fighter planes to be deployed on the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.
Negotiations are currently going on with the French Dassault Group for these missiles. All three missiles will enable Rafale-M fighter aircraft to attack any potential adversary. At the same time, the ability of the Indian Navy to defend its airspace and attack targets at long ranges will increase significantly.
The Indian Air Force’s fighter jet Rafale, which has become a skypower, is equipped with Scalp and Meteor missiles. Rafale can attack up to a distance of 500 kilometres, which is why it is given the title of ‘game changer’ in the skies of war. The air-to-air aiming of the Meteor missile is accurate. Meteor missiles can shoot down enemy fighter aircraft even when they are out of visual range. The Meteor is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVR-AAM) designed to engage enemy aircraft at very long ranges. It is one of the most advanced missiles in the world and is now to be deployed on the Rafale-M fighter jets of the Indian Navy.
Similarly, Scalp is a long-range air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) designed to engage targets deep inside enemy territory. It is a highly accurate and versatile missile that can be used against a variety of targets, including land-based target ships and airfields. The Scalp air-to-surface guided missile can carry a 450-kg warhead with a range of 300 km. The specialty of this missile is that, after being launched from the fighter jet, it comes between 100 and 130 feet from the ground to avoid enemy radar and jamming systems. After this, before reaching close to the target, it again rises to a maximum altitude of 6,000 metres and then falls directly on the target.
The European arms manufacturer MBDA produces the Mica, Meteor, and Scalp missiles. The Indian Air Force has tested MICA missiles before installing them in the fighter jet Rafale. During the test, two rounds of the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile MICA were fired. It is an all-weather missile system capable of hitting short- and medium-range targets. This missile can be used from air platforms as well as land and ships. The 3.1-metre-long missile has a diametre of 0.16 metres and weighs about 112 kg. This missile has a range of 500 metres to 60 km.
The acquisition of the missiles MICA, Meteor, and Scalp will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s ability to defend its airspace and attack targets at long ranges. These missiles will give the Rafale-M fighter aircraft a significant advantage over any potential adversary. The Indian Navy will acquire more than 100 stealth cruise missiles from France’s MBDA for the 26 Rafale-M fighter jets to be deployed on its aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. The deal for 26 Rafale-M with France will be through the government-to-government route and will be signed by 2024?25.
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