Rafale, S- 400 a ‘ game- changer’: Air Force chief
New Delhi, Oct. 3: Defending the Rafale fighter jet amid a raging political row, Air Chief Marshal B. S. Dhanoa said on Wednesday that the deal was a “good package” and that the aircraft will be a “game- changer” for the subcontinent. He said the S- 400 air defence missile systems, a deal for which is likely to be signed later this week after Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives here on Thursday, and the 36 Rafale jets will provide the Air Force with a much needed “booster”.
Addressing a press conference here, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa described the decision to buy the Rafale jets as a “bold move” by the government and said it was an “emergency purchase” keeping in view the depleting squadrons of the Air Force.
In response to a question on Rafale maker Dassault Aviation choosing Reliance Defence over state- owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, ACM Dhanoa said it was the “prerogative” of the original equipment manufacturer to choose the offset partner and neither the government nor the Air Force had any role in it.
The Congress and other Opposition parties have claimed massive irregularities in the Rafale deal and the issue has been gathering steam ahead of three crucial state polls and the Lok Sabha polls next year. The BJP and Reliance Defence have dismissed all the allegations as false.
ACM Dhanoa said the Rafale is a “very good aircraft”. He added: “When it comes to the subcontinent, it will be a gamechanger because it has significant capabilities, better than what our regional adversaries have got. It takes care of even the new aircraft
they ( adversaries) are likely to induct in the near future.” “We have a very good package along with the aircraft,” the IAF chief added. Endorsing the deal, he said the Air Force has got the most modern censors, state- oftheart weapons, India- specific enhancements, better price terms, better delivery time schedules, better maintenance terms, longer industrial commitment terms and additional warranty. “We have a lot of advantages in the Rafale deal,” he said.
Responding to a question on whether the Air Force was consulted before going ahead with the government- to- government deal to buy 36 Rafale jets, ACM Dhanoa said it was consulted at an “appropriate level”.
The Air Chief, however, parried questions on the cost of the fighter jets. “The Rafale cost... We are going by the FM ( finance minister). There are some other costs, it is based on guesstimates... A lot of things can change. Inflation changes. Rupee is going down... You will come to know once the deal is over, how much money we managed to save,” he said. ACM Dhanoa did not comment on whether the S400 deal would be signed later this week. — PTI