The deal for 26 Rafale Marines (Rafale-M) fighter jets for the Indian Navy is on the table. France has placed its bid. These 26 multirole fighter jets are coming at a cost of 900 billion rupees, comprising 22 single-seater and 4 twin-seater jets. The single-seaters will be for frontline deployment, and the twin-seaters for training. These jets will be stationed on INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
Aircraft Carriers Exclusive to India and China in South Asia
Besides India and China, no other South Asian country has an aircraft carrier. China has three types of multirole fighter jets on its carrier: J-10, J-15, and Sukhoi-30. Most of Pakistan's fighter jets are of Chinese origin. China hasn’t yet deployed its fifth-generation J-20 fighter jets to its navy, nor has it provided them to Pakistan. Let's compare these three with the Rafale-M...
Source: aajtak
Shorter Length Means Easier Maneuvering
J-10: 55.5 feet J-15: 73.1 feet Su-30: 72 feet
Rafale-M...
only 50.1 feet, making it the smallest in size.
Crews/Pilots - Command in a Single Pilot’s Hands
J-10: One pilot J-15: 1/2 pilots Su-30: Two pilots
Rafale-M...
can be flown by one or two pilots.
Source: aajtak
Lighter Weight Means Easier Handling
J-10: 14,000 kg J-15: 27,000 kg Su-30: 24,900 kg
Rafale-M...
15,000 kg. Slightly heavier than J-10 but lighter than the others.
Fuel Capacity (Internal) - Best in Class
J-10: 8,950 liters J-15: 9,500 liters Su-30: 9,400 liters
Rafale-M...
11,202 liters, enabling longer flights and superior dogfights.
Source: aajtak
Speed - Lagging Behind Only One Chinese Jet
J-10: 2,205 km/hr J-15: 2,963 km/hr Su-30: 2,120 km/hr
Rafale-M...
2,205 km/hr, equal to J-10 but superior to Su-30 and only behind J-15.
Combat/Ferry Range - Rafale-M Leads
J-10: 1,240 km (combat range) J-15: 3,500 km (ferry range) Su-30: 3,000 km (ferry range)
Rafale-M...
Combat range of 1,850 km and a ferry range of 3,700 km, making it the best.
Source: aajtak
Maximum Altitude - Its Only Weak Spot
J-10: 59,000 feet J-15: 66,000 feet Su-30: 57,000 feet
Rafale-M...
52,000 feet, trailing behind all three Chinese fighters.
Rafale-M Equipped with Maximum Weapon Carrying Capability
China’s J-10 fighter jet has 11 hardpoints for armament. It can carry four types of air-to-air missiles, 90 mm unguided rockets, a 23 mm gun, and four kinds of bombs.
J-15 has 12 hardpoints and can be equipped with 9 types of weapons, including bombs. It also features a 30 mm gun.
Source: aajtak
Su-30 has 12 hardpoints for three types of rockets, four types of missiles, and nine types of bombs or mixes. It is also equipped with a 30 mm gun.
Rafale-M features a 30 mm autocannon gun and has 14 hardpoints. It can carry three types of air-to-air missiles, seven types of air-to-surface missiles, a nuclear missile, or a combination.
The Type of Fighter Jets - Generational Gaps
J-10/J-15 are fourth-generation fighter jets. Su-30 is a multirole air superiority jet. Rafale-M is a 4.5-generation fighter jet.
