NEW DELHI: A latest Indian Air Force (IAF) tender seeking ‘bridge support’ for all 36 Rafale fighter jets India bought from France has contradicted Pakistan’s repeated claims that India had lost several Rafale jets during last year’s Operation Sindoor.Though Indian military leadership had repeatedly rubbished such claims, Pakistan kept insisting that it had downed several multi-role Rafale fighters during the conflict.An Air Headquarters Request for Proposal (RFP), issued in June and accessed by TOI, has invited bids for a five-month bridge support package for 36 Rafale aircraft. A “bridge support” package for a fighter aircraft fleet is a short-term, interim contract designed to maintain aircraft availability, logistics and technical support. It literally acts as a “bridge” to prevent any gap in operational readiness before a long-term sustainment contract is finalised.France’s Dassault Aviation had delivered 36 Rafale fighter jets to India under the Euro 7.87 billion inter-governmental agreement signed in Sept 2016. The contract also covered comprehensive weapons packages, simulators and 10 years of maintenance support.With the support package programme expiring in Sept, IAF is seeking the ‘bridge support’ from the French company for a five-month period. “A proposal is requested as ‘bridge support’ contract for sustenance of fleet beyond Sept 18, 2026, for a period of five months,” RFP stated.The proposal should cater for the operation of 36 Rafale aircraft at a rate of 150 flying hours per aircraft per year, it said. Till a new long sustenance package is signed, the bridge support package will take care of the Rafale fleet’s maintenance needs.
