Dassault – Central News Hub

Dassault brings maintenance facility for Rafale, Mirage fighters in India

The Indian Air Force operates around 50 Mirage-2000 aircraft inducted in the 1980s and 36 Rafale fighter aircraft inducted in the last few years…reports Asian Lite News

In a significant development, French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation is to set up a new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Noida to provide support to the French-origin fighter jets in the Indian Air Force.

The Indian Air Force operates around 50 Mirage-2000 aircraft inducted in the 1980s and 36 Rafale fighter aircraft inducted in the last few years.

“The French firm recently informed the Defence Ministry and the Indian Air Force about setting up a new Indian company Dassault Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul India (DAMROI) to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul support for the French-origin fighter aircraft in India,” defence officials told ANI.

Dassault informed the Defence Ministry that it is setting up the new MRO company in line with India’s vision of Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) and would be opening the facility in one of industrial sectors of NOIDA in UP, they said.

The company has informed the Defence Ministry that the new Indian company would have Indian national and old Dassault representative in India, Posina Venkata Rao as its Chief Executive Officer. Rao has been associated with Dassault Aviation in India for many decades and has been closely involved in their campaigns in India. He will have a work force of both French and Indian nationals as part of the team.

Dassault has informed that it plans to progressively scale up the MRO activities at DAMROI in cooperation with Indian aeronautical industrial ecosystem, thereby considerably enhancing the scope of support for fighter aircraft of French origin.

The Jaguar deep penetration fighter jets which are on their last legs of operations in India can also be supported by the MRO as they also have French connection. Dassault is negotiating a deal with Indian Navy to sell its Rafale Marine jets.

The plan is to acquire 26 of these planes for the Indian Navy which will deploy them on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The Indian Air Force has also prepared two bases for the Rafale fighters in Ambala and Hashimara. (ANI)

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Dassault CEO in India for Rafale Marine Variant Talks

India can soon become the first country to produce a 4.5 generation fighter aircraft without being an Original Equipment Manufacturer or the OEM….reports Asian Lite News

Dassault Aviation’s CEO, Eric Trappier, is set to visit New Delhi for two days to discuss multiple facets of India’s proposed purchase of 26 naval variants of the Rafale aircraft. These discussions will center around the procurement agreement and are scheduled to take place upon Trappier’s arrival in Delhi on Monday, according to insiders.

In July, the defence ministry approved the purchase of the Rafale (marine) jets from France, primarily for deployment on board the indigenously-built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

According to sources close to the development, India can soon become the first country to produce a 4.5 generation fighter aircraft without being an Original Equipment Manufacturer or the OEM.

Dassault has a current backlog of close to 200 Rafales which includes outstanding deliveries for existing orders of 80 aircraft for UAE, 42 for Indonesia, 12 for Croatia, Egypt 54, Greece 24, Qatar 36 and potential 26 for the Indian Navy.

The sources further revealed that with its current capacity limited to 24 aircraft per year, there is a strong case for Dassault to establish an additional production line at its joint venture, DRAL in India.

India is a big market and the Indian Air Force is looking at purchasing 114 fighter aircraft. RFP for this is expected in the next six months.

This will be one of the largest orders for fighters anywhere in the world. Indian Naval order for 26 aircraft is also expected to be finalised within the next six months with deliveries starting in 2027.

Sources said that the Rafale manufacturing line at DRAL, MIHAN SEZ Nagpur will see an additional half a million square feet infrastructure spread over 4 hangars, with production starting in 2028.

Annual capacity is planned at 24 aircraft per year or two aircraft per month. At an anticipated price of Rs 1,000 crore per aircraft in 2028, it will translate into Rs 24,000 crore sales per annum.

This will require an additional investment of close to Rs 3,000 crore.

In terms of employment opportunities, DRAL will have more than 600 personnel to meet the requirements of the final assembly line for Falcon 2000. With Rafale, this could go past the 1,200 mark.

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