France’s Dassault Aviation, the company behind the Rafale and Mirage-2000 fighter jets, plans to set up a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India.
This new facility will enable the Indian Air Force (IAF) to service its fleet of Mirage-2000 and Rafale jets locally. The Indian Navy’s Rafale-M jets will also be maintained at this center.
The MRO facility is to be situated near Jewar International Airport in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Dassault Aviation is currently in the process of acquiring land in the vicinity of the airport.
The IAF already operates 36 Rafale jets, acquired in 2016, which are considered the most technologically advanced aircraft in India’s arsenal.
The Indian Navy is also negotiating to purchase 26 Rafale jets worth $5 billion, with a team previously in India to finalize the pricing.
Dassault Aviation is also competing to supply 114 fighter jets to the IAF under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) contest.
The Jewar MRO facility will also refurbish older Mirage-2000 jets. India is sourcing older airframes from various countries to use their parts.
In addition, Safran, which manufactures the M-88 engines for the Rafale jets, is planning to open another MRO facility in Hyderabad by 2025. Safran has also pledged to produce these engines entirely in India if a significant number of Rafales are ordered.
Safran is collaborating with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to design, develop, and manufacture a turboshaft engine for the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) and Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DB-MRH).
These new MRO facilities also set the stage for the potential production of Rafale fighters and their components in India, should Dassault win the MRFA competition.