पांच राफेल के ढोल की पोल : Misleading And Immature Euphoria Over Five Rafales : India’s Adhocism and Lack of Strategic Thinking Exposed Badly

पांच राफेल के ढोल की पोल : Misleading And Immature Euphoria Over Five Rafales : India’s Lack of Will Power And Strategic Thinking Exposed Badly

Rajiv Upadhyay

दृढ निश्चयी पाकिस्तान ने सन १९७४  में शुरू कर सन १९८६  मैं बारह  वर्षों में परमाणु बम बना लिया और हम ढुलमुल भारत वासी चालीस से घट कर ३२ स्क्वाड्रन  वाली  लगातार खोखली होती वायु सेना के लिए बीस वर्षों में सिर्फ पांच हवाई जहाज खरीद पाने का उत्सव मना रहे हैं ! क्या ऐसे देश लम्बे समय तक स्वतंत्र रह सकते हैं ?

This easy misleading of Indian people by utterly false media lullabies about brave India is the real reason why defence does not get the budget and the priority it deserves . We learnt nothing from Kargil and were caught unprepared again. The new Chinese misadventure has again sent us again scurrying around the world capitals for spares , essential equipment and weapons . When can we be ready to win at least a twenty day war at sudden notice ? Neither Pakistan nor China is afraid of the bulky slow Indian elephant but media bards keep the lazy elephant happy by singing tales about its size on 24 hour TV channels!

Now the nation will be opiated by just five Rafales arrival at Ambala !

Let us for once understand the full issue .

Firstly five planes are not even usable . We generally need a full squadron to effectively use their capabilities . Our Tejas fleet is not usable in real war even today although first two aircrafts were delivered in July 2016! Sixteen planes have been delivered so far . Induction of a new type of plane in regular service takes about year and a half  .Training , maintenance infrastructure , weapon integration and planning , developing intelligence based war strategy, under ground hangers , integration with radars and missile defence systems,  all are very essential time consuming pre requisites before inducting a new plane in service .At present our well tested , Sukhoi MKI with Brahmos missile is quite adequate for Ladakh where Chinese have even deployed S 400 missile defence system . More than the plane, it is the missiles , war suites , radars , communication and jamming equipment all are equally important in war . If Pakistan can get upgraded AMRAAM missiles in the package Imran got from President Trump it will pose a big danger to us neutralsing the adavantage of Meteor . China is developing upgraded version of P 15 missile which it will give to Pakistan too .

Also not just five but even the entire fleet of 36 Rafale air crafts is too insignificant to tilt the balance of power when China has 1900 and India has about 900 combat aircrafts . The initial IAF proposal to buy 114 aircrafts was right size of purchase. India cannot be converted to a museum of aircrafts for pleasing all big  countries .It will defeat the very purpose of buying aircrafts . In past we have bought 272 Sukhois in 2000, 160 jaguars , 252 Mig – 19 in 1963 , 104 Mysteres in 1957 , 100 French Ouragans in 1953 .,95  British Vampires in 1955 . 49 Mirage 2000 ,65  Mig 29   were exceptions as special purpose planes . So it may be ideal to buy either seventy two more Rafales or 114 better or equally good aircrafts of a single manufacturer . But we need low radar signature , matching 150 km range BVR missile , jammer , 300 km radar and 400 km anti AWAC missiles , precision laser guided bombs along with aircrafts .

It is a matter of deep regret that even after approval for purchase of 126 aircrafts  in 2008 and completing the costly comparative trials in 2008 we could not order just 36 plane  planes till 2015. So whether the nation should rejoice or hang its head in shame for getting just five aircrafts thirteen years after purchase decision is best left for the readers to decide .

Readers may like to view the you tube video below.