Amid war fears, India urgently seeks source code of Rafale fighter jets from France, a reluctant Paris says it can’t…, does it mean…
New Delhi: Amidst warlike conditions with Pakistan, India has requested the source code for Rafale fighter jets from France. India has significantly intensified its efforts to obtain the source code. According to a report by indiasentinels, India’s objective is to equip the Rafale fighter jets with indigenously developed radars, avionics, and missiles, making the acquisition of the source code very crucial. India has purchased 36 Rafale fighter jets from the French company Dassault Aviation under a ‘government-to-government’ deal. France has delivered all Rafale fighter jets to India, and these fighter jets are now operated from Ambala and Hasimara bases.
However, the Rafale fighter jet is already equipped with several Indian weapons. India has equipped the Rafale with weapons such as the Astra Mk1 BVRAAM (beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile) and the smart anti-airfield weapon (SAAW), but now India needs the source code for many more indigenous weapons to be integrated into the Rafale. India has just signed a deal with France to purchase Rafales for the Indian Navy.
India needs the source code of Rafale from France as it controls the advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and Modular Mission Computer (MMC) of the Rafale fighter jet. Together, they form the electronic backbone of the aircraft. Until this source code is obtained, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has to rely on Dassault for the integration or upgradation of every new weapon, which delays defense planning and increases costs, affecting capability.
France has not yet provided India with the source code for the Mirage-2000, even though India purchased the Mirage 2000 from France in the 1980s. As a result, many weapons made in India have not yet been able to be equipped on Mirage-2000. In light of this, the Indian Air Force is taking a firm stance this time and insists on obtaining the Rafale source code at all costs.
The integration of Indian weapon systems in the Rafale fighter jet requires modifications to the AESA radar and software in the MMC. However, the ownership of the source code lies with Dassault. Therefore, upgrading is not possible without Dassault’s assistance. The Indian Air Force argues that Indian engineers and DRDO scientists should have access to the source code, which will not only reduce costs but also make operations of the Indian Air Force easier.
Dassault Aviation and its partner Thales are very cautious about the source code of the Rafale fighter jets. They believe that after years of hard work, research, and investment, they have developed it. They consider the source code to be crucial intellectual property. They claim that if the source code is shared, it will cause them significant commercial harm, which could weaken Rafale’s strategic advantage globally.
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