Rafale ‘Bridge Support’ Tender Sparks Debate, IAF Seeks Interim Cover For All 36 Fighters

Published 23 June 2026 · india

Rafale ‘Bridge Support’ Tender Sparks Debate, IAF Seeks Interim Cover For All 36 Fighters Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 20:36 IST

Rafale ‘Bridge Support’ Tender Sparks Debate, IAF Seeks Interim Cover For All 36 Fighters Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 20:36 IST The RFP seeks a five-month bridge support arrangement beyond September 18, 2026. The proposal has been sent to Safran Aircraft Engines. India inducted 36 Rafale fighters under the September 2016 agreement with France. (Image: PTI/File) A tender floated by the Indian Air Force for interim support to its Rafale fighter fleet has triggered debate on social media. While the Request for Proposal (RFP) seeks temporary “Bridge Support" to sustain Rafale operations pending a long-term logistics contract, some users have cited figures in the document to challenge Pakistan’s claims of aircraft losses during Operation Sindoor. The discussion comes even as the Indian Air Force has not officially confirmed the loss of any Rafale fighter during the operation. The RFP seeks a five-month bridge support arrangement beyond September 18, 2026.

The proposal has been sent to Safran Aircraft Engines, one of the original equipment manufacturers associated with the Rafale programme. As per the officials, the bridge support arrangement is required as the follow-on Performance Based Logistics (PBL) contract is yet to be finalised. PBL ensures that aircraft are readily available at any point and time as per the contracted terms. These agreements are signed for five years. The interim arrangement is intended to ensure uninterrupted maintenance, logistics and technical support for the fleet until the new long-term sustainment framework comes into force. Defence experts caution against using the document to draw conclusions about fleet strength or aircraft availability. They point out that sustainment contracts are generally based on authorised fleet numbers and projected flying requirements and are not intended to disclose operational inventory. The document states that the support package is meant for the operation of all 36 Rafale aircraft acquired under the 2016 Inter-Governmental Agreement between India and France.

It seeks support for a planned utilisation rate of 150 flying hours per aircraft annually and calculates the requirement at 2,250 flying hours during the five-month period. The original Rafale contract included 36 fighter aircraft along with associated equipment, spares, consumables and maintenance support required for the initial years of fleet operations. Officials familiar with military aviation logistics said bridge support arrangements are a routine practice whenever long-term sustainment contracts are under negotiation or awaiting conclusion. Such measures are intended to prevent any gap in the supply of spares, repairs, technical assistance and maintenance services. Officials said the latest RFP reflects a contractual transition process and not any change in the number of Rafale fighters operated by the Indian Air Force. They also noted that the requirement has been calculated on the basis of supporting the entire fleet of 36 aircraft. India inducted 36 Rafale fighters under the September 2016 agreement with France.