7 octobre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Sécurité

Rafale: Vers un nouveau contrat en Inde ?

Yannick Genty-Boudry

L'Indian Air Force étudie la possibilité d'acquérir deux escadrons de Dassault Rafale supplémentaires.

Inde: 36 Rafale de plus ?

Lors de sa conférence de presse annuelle du lundi 4 octobre, l'Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria a déclaré que l'Indian Air Force étudiait la possibilité de commander 2 escadrons supplémentaires d'avions de combat Dassault Rafale. Même si pour le moment la priorité serait consacrée à l'acquisition des 83 LCA MK1A nationaux, Bhadauria a indiqué que dans un second temps l'Indian Air Force devra se prononcer soit vers la poursuite du programme MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) qui oppose plusieurs compétiteurs pour la livraison de 114 avions de combat, soit vers l'acquisition en gré à gré de 36 Rafale supplémentaires.

Choix politique

Mais même dans l'hypothèse de la poursuite de MRFA, le Rafale resterait le grand favori. Non seulement pour des raisons opérationnelles, puisqu'en en 2023 les 36 Rafale acquis par Delhi en 2016 seront totalement déployés au sein de l'IAF, mais surtout financières. Les prochains appareils proposés seront en effet moins coûteux que lors de la première acquisition dans la mesure où en 2016 l'IAF avait exigé des modifications lourdes de l'appareil, nécessitant une enveloppe de 1,7 Geur pour mener à bien les travaux de R&D, d'intégration, et de certification associés. Aussi, il est fortement probable que les aviateurs indiens cherchent à capitaliser sur cet investissement.

Menace nucléaire

En outre, en cas d'urgence opérationnelle le gouvernement indien recourt fréquemment aux acquisitions en gré à gré, et surtout lorsqu'il s'agit d'appareils déjà déployés dans les forces et construits localement. Un scénario qui s'est encore reproduit l'été dernier avec l'acquisition auprès des russes de 12 SU-30 MKI et de 21 Mig-29 d'occasion. Or une nouvelle menace inquiète particulièrement le gouvernement indien depuis quelques semaines. En raison des tensions dans l'Himalaya, Pékin a récemment déployé sur la base de Kachgar située à 625 km de Leh, la capitale du Ladakh indien, 6 bombardiers lourds H-6 de nouvelle génération capables de délivrer à distance de sécurité des missiles de croisière KD-20, mais aussi prochainement des missiles balistiques à charge nucléaire. Cette capacité qui menace déjà une grande partie des centres stratégiques indiens, n'en est pourtant qu'à ses prémisses puisque la Chine est en train de reconstituer, précisément au travers de ces bombardiers, une triade nucléaire. Une triade sans commune mesure avec ce dont elle disposait lors de la guerre froide. Or de tous les avions en compétition sur le marché indien, seul le Rafale a depuis son origine été spécifié pour répondre à un tel défi.

Nous reviendrons longuement sur les nouvelles capacités nucléaires de l'armée de l'air chinoise dans le numéro d'Air&Cosmos qui sera publié le 15 octobre prochain.

https://www.air-cosmos.com/article/rafale-vers-un-nouveau-contrat-en-inde-23701

Sur le même sujet

  • BAE Systems awarded production contract for additional LRASM seekers

    17 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Terrestre

    BAE Systems awarded production contract for additional LRASM seekers

    by Robin Hughes BAE Systems Electronic Systems in Nashua, New Hampshire, in early December disclosed the award from Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control of a USD60 million contract to supply additional seeker systems for the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). LRASM is a joint-service (US Navy: USN/US Air Force: USAF) 2400 lb (1088.6 kg) air-launched high-subsonic conventional precision-guided stand-off anti-ship missile derived from the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile - Extended Range (JASSM-ER) weapon system. The AGM-158C retains the JASSM-ER 1000 lb penetrator/blast fragmentation warhead and enhanced digital anti-jam GPS, but introduces a multimode sensor/seeker package developed by BAE Systems (which combines a passive radio-frequency (RF) long-range sensor for wide area target acquisition and an imaging infrared seeker for terminal targeting), and a weapon data link L-Band Unit (LBU) supplied by ViaSat. The missile has a stated air-launched range of ‘greater than 200 n miles' (370 km). LRASM transitioned from a US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) demonstration activity to a USN Program of Record (POR) in February 2014. The joint service LRASM Deployment Office (LDO) and Lockheed Martin have developed LRASM as the weapon solution to meet the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) Increment 1 requirement. OASuW Increment 1 is an accelerated acquisition programme to procure a limited number of air-launched missiles to address a near-term fleet capability gap – identified under an Urgent Operational Needs Statement (UONS) generated in 2008 by the US Pacific Command – for a flexible, long-range, advanced, anti-surface capability against high-threat maritime targets. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/bae-systems-awarded-production-contract-for-additional-lrasm-seekers

  • Leonardo: Kopter acquisition completed

    14 avril 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    Leonardo: Kopter acquisition completed

    Rome, April 8, 2020 - Leonardo announced today the closing of the acquisition of Kopter Group AG (Kopter) from Lynwood (Schweiz). The purchase price, on a cash and debt free basis, consists of a $185 million fixed component plus an earn-out mechanism linked to certain milestones over the life of the programme, starting from 2022. The acquisition of Kopter allows Leonardo to further strengthen its worldwide leadership and position in the rotorcraft sector, in line with the Industrial Plan's objectives for the reinforcement of the core businesses. View source version on Leonardo : https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/press-release-detail/-/detail/08-04-2020-leonardo-kopter-acquisition-completed?f=%2Fhome

  • The Navy aims to install cyber baselines aboard 180 ships

    6 juillet 2020 | International, Naval, C4ISR

    The Navy aims to install cyber baselines aboard 180 ships

    Andrew Eversden Naval Information Warfare Systems Command plans to deploy technology that will certify a ship's compliance with cybersecurity requirements to 180 vessels by fiscal 2022. The cyber baseline system — deployed by FRD 300, which is short for the Cybersecurity Office of the command's Fleet Readiness Directorate — is a web-based application. It allows the directorate to ensure a ship's systems comply with cybersecurity requirements set by the departments of Defense and the Navy prior to departure, according to a June 29 news release from NAVWAR. A baseline “offers a searchable, easy-to-use, platform-specific record of all Navy networks, including hosted and connected, afloat and ashore systems, enabling the ability to independently manage and maintain a ship's information technology capabilities,” the release said. Cyber baselines have been deployed aboard 40 ships in fiscal 2019, the release said. The program, which started in January 2018, has implemented cyber baselines on 80 Navy ships as of June 2020, according to the release. “Delivering cyber baselines allows us to identify capability risks during a ship's availability or scheduled modernization, assuring a cyber-ready platform prior to departure,” FRD 300 Director Duane Phillips said. “We are using an end-to-end approach, ensuring that all hosted and connected systems, including the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) and Integrated Shipboard Network System (ISNS), comply with DoD and DoN requirements and are approved to meet cyber security technical authority standards.” The tool is delivered and installed in coordination with NAVWAR Headquarters, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific and Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic. According to the release, FRD 300 supports 10 to 15 platforms at any given time. It is currently working on ships in Bahrain, Japan, California, Washington “and more,” the release said. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, FRD 300 is providing both distance and in-person training on the system. “Despite today's current circumstances, our Navy and our nation are continuing to experience an unprecedented degree of competition in the maritime environment,” FRD 300 Executive Director Mike Spencer said. “As the technical leader for Navy cybersecurity we must continue to drive implementation of cyber standards, creating a secure, defensible information domain. By delivering, installing and managing cyber baselines, we are able to provide a validated end-to-end cyber compliant network improving cyber readiness across the fleet.” NAVWAR is also working with NIWC Pacific and Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence and Space Systems to create a C4I certification by the end of fiscal 2021 that assess a system's cyber readiness. According to the release, the certification process will confirm “all warfighter tools and capabilities are cyber secure through consistent and pervasive implementation of cybersecurity specifications and standards.” The efforts come as the Navy continues to work to improve its cybersecurity after an assessment last year found the service lacked effective cyber hygiene and recommended that it restructure its cybersecurity governance. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/it-networks/2020/06/30/the-navy-aims-to-install-cyber-baselines-aboard-180-ships/

Toutes les nouvelles