India's Rafale jets to have HAMMER missiles; weapon that was used in Iraq and Syria

In a long-awaited development, five Rafale fighter aircraft took off on Monday for India from an airbase in France to join the Indian Air Force fleet in Ambala. According to the latest updates, all the five Rafale aircraft landed safely at the Al Dhafra airbase in UAE on Monday after a sortie in excess of seven hours, the Indian Air Force said.

News agencies have reported that India has decided to fit HAMMER missiles on the newly-acquired Rafale jet aircraft in view of the ongoing border tensions with China, as the integration and trial of the Israeli-developed SPICE 2000 bombs were taking too long.

Citing military sources, news agency IANS reported that India was left with no other option in the emerging emergency situation other than opting for HAMMER missiles, which are already compatible with and integrated into the Rafale jets; thus ignoring integration of SPICE 2000 bombs in the fighter jets, as of now.

It was pointed out that the Rafale jets with HAMMER missiles carried out airstrikes in Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Emphasizing the emergency situation India is facing, Indian officials on the condition of anonymity said that Rafale jets with the HAMMER missiles would be put into operation without delay. The sources said that a team of ground support staff and pilots have undergone training for the last one-and-half years in France.

The Indian Air Force has stated: "IAF aircrew and ground crew have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft, including in its highly advanced weapons systems and are fully operational now. Post the arrival, efforts will focus on the operationalization of the aircraft at the earliest."

The authorities, however, have stressed that it does not mean that India-specific changes cannot be done or SPICE bombs have been replaced by HAMMER.

Both munitions have different capabilities.

HAMMER -- Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range - Missiles

The HAMMER is a medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon designed for the French Air Force and the Navy. It a rocket- enabled precision missile with a range of 60 km perfectly suited for high altitude.

SPICE bomb, which stands for Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective, is equipped with a family of weapons used for air-to-ground operations. India has been using SPICE 2000 bombs since 2015 on Mirage-2000.

Apart from the HAMMER missiles, the Rafale aircraft will also be armed with beyond- visual range missiles like Meteor, SCALP, and MICA, increasing their ability to take on incoming targets from a distance.

A senior Indian Air Force officer said that Rafale fighter jets would be a major force multiplier. "There would always be a fear factor within the minds of the enemies," said the officer, adding that even one Indian Rafale fighter can thwart the enemy`s plans.

The Meteor is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile with a range of 150 km plus while SCALP is a long-range cruise missile with a range of 200 km that can be launched from the aircraft for deep strikes to hit fixed and stationary targets inland or in waters.

MICA missiles can be used both for visual and beyond-range air-to-air interception and air-to-ground strikes.

(With agency inputs)