Dassault to set up MRO facility for Rafale, Mirage 2000 fighter jets in India

French aerospace and defence major Dassault Aviation is expanding its presence in India with a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

Dassault will use the MRO facility, to be located near Jewar International Airport in Noida, for maintenance and overhaul of Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft.

Dassault Aviation is reported to be in the process of acquiring land near the Jewar International Airport.

While this is against the spirit of the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, Dassault’s decision to set up an MRO facility in India will allow the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy to get their respective fleet of Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft repaired locally.

The IAF currently has a fleet of 36 Rafale fighter planes while the Navy is looking to buy 26 of the naval version Rafale jets.

These are the most technologically advanced fighter aircraft currently available with the defence forces in India and Dassault seems to be expecting more business in the region.

Simultaneously, Safran, which makes the M-88 engines for Rafale jets, is also planning to set up an MRO facility in Hyderabad for servicing these engines. Safran is also open to manufacturing these engines locally, subject to Rafale getting sufficient orders in India.

Safran will also collaborate with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for design, development and manufacture of a turboshaft engine for the latter’s Multi-role Helicopter (MRH) and Deck-Based Multi-role Helicopter (DB-MRH).

The MRO facility could be developed into a production facility for Rafale fighter jets if Dassault wins the Indian Air Force order for multi-role fighter aircraft.