Vasco De Gama (Goa) [India], January 5: Amid discussions surrounding reports of Chinese sixth-generation fighter jets, a French Navy officer remarked that such aircraft are “a bit of a dream” at present, as it will take a considerable amount of time for them to be developed into fully operational fighters.
French Navy’s Carrier Air Wing Commander Guillaume Denis, currently in India as part of the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group, responded to questions comparing the sixth-generation fighters with the Rafale. He stated, “Sixth-generation aircraft are still a bit of a dream right now. But when it comes to fifth-generation, Rafale is a subjective topic. Rafale is not stealthy, but it has been built from scratch to perform all missions simultaneously, which is one of the key features of fifth-generation aircraft. We are able to upgrade it every two years… The Rafale’s Meteor air-to-air missile is one of the best in the world. Right now, the sixth-generation aircraft is only on paper.”
Commander Denis, who is responsible for the fighter aircraft operations aboard the French Navy’s warship, also addressed the heated debate in India following the emergence of visuals of a Chinese sixth-generation aircraft on social media. This sparked discussions around India’s delayed aircraft programs.
The Rafale Marine is expected to be the Indian Navy’s choice, with a contract for the purchase of 16 of these aircraft for the INS Vikrant, India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, expected to be finalized soon.