India hopes to put Rafale-Marine (Rafale M) fighters into operation in 2027-2028, replacing the fourth-generation MiG-29K carrier-based multirole fighters. However, some Indian Navy officers are not sure that the French aircraft, unlike the Soviet one, is suitable for operations on aircraft carriers, Bulgarian Military writes.
The Rafale M has a large wingspan and takes up a lot of space. Because of this, fewer aircraft will be stationed on the Indian aircraft carriers "Vikramaditya" and "Vikrant".
The MiG-29K, which received folding wings and a reinforced chassis, did not have this problem. The Soviet aircraft has been the "workhorse" of the Indian Navy for many years, emphasizes Bulgarian Military author Boyko Nikolov.
The MiG-29K has proven its reliability in close air combat, where maneuverability is needed.
However, due to the lack of spare parts for the MiG-29K and maintenance problems, it was decided to replace it with the Rafale M.
MiG-29K specifications:
- Maximum take-off weight — 22,400 kg
- Maximum combat load — 4,500 kg
- Maximum flight speed near the ground — 1,400 km/h
- Maximum flight speed at altitude — 2,200 km/h
- Number of weapon suspension points — 8
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