Thales RBE2 AESA radar being integrated on Dassault Rafale fighter

The Indian Air Force’s push for 114 “Made-in-India” Rafale fighter jets could mark a radical shift in Indo-French defence ties, as New Delhi examines the integration of its indigenous Uttam Mk2 AESA radar into the future fleet.

The Uttam MK-2, built with Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, offers significant enhancements over the Rafale’s existing Thales RBE2 radar. It promises an extended detection envelope, sharper stealth target acquisition, and improved resistance against hostile electronic warfare measures.

For such a modification, Dassault Aviation’s cooperation will be essential. The process demands full access to the Rafale’s avionics architecture and proprietary data, raising both technical and political challenges.

Analysts suggest that the order’s sheer size—114 aircraft valued at tens of billions of dollars—strengthens India’s negotiating position, giving Paris an incentive to accommodate deeper technology integration.

If cleared, this would be the first instance of a frontline European fighter adopting a foreign AESA radar, effectively blending French airframe and weapons integration expertise with India’s growing radar technology capabilities.

The move could also create a benchmark for future Indo-French collaborations, with downstream benefits for co-development in sixth-generation systems, air-defence architecture, and electronic warfare suites.

For the IAF, the planned shift aligns with its broader policy of incorporating indigenous subsystems across imported platforms, enhancing sovereignty in upgrades and lifecycle support while increasing domestic industry’s stake in complex fighter technologies.

Such an outcome would reduce long-term dependency on foreign vendors, accelerate India’s radar ecosystem, and bolster the credibility of the Uttam AESA family as a global solution for next-generation fighters.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)