Know Your 'Rafale'

[Drsomnath999]

French Navy Rafale M test fires a live AM39 Block2 Mod2 Exocet Anti-ship missile for the first time

On September 19, 2012, a French Navy (Marine Nationale) Rafale M was launched from the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) and fired an Exocet anti-ship missile according to the French aerospace magazine Air & Cosmos.
[...]
The Exocet AM39 Anti-ship missile is in service with the French armed forces and the navies of 11 other countries. In January 2004, the French DGA (Direction Générale de l'Armement) awarded MBDA with the contract covering the development of both the Exocet AM39 Block2 Mod2 and the Exocet MM40 Block3.

In June 2007, the latest Mod2 development of the Exocet AM39 Block2 completed its final validation firing from a naval Rafale F3 combat aircraft. The firing also served as the validation firing for the Rafale in its F3 standard. The Mod2 evolution has seen the digitisation of Exocet AM39 Block2, an adaptation called for by the requirements of the latest generation of rotary and fixed wing aircraft such as the Rafale F3.

French Navy Rafale M test fires a live AM39 Block2 Mod2 Exocet Anti-ship missile for the first time

 

[bhramos]

 

[cloud_9]

Repost.............

 

[Singh]

"I haven't heard any rumours about the MMRCA competition on whether it could go to a company other than the one selected," Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne has said. "Contract negotiations (with Dassault) are very well on track and progressing satisfactorily. We expect a contract to be awarded this financial year."

The IAF chief said the primary contract would be only for 126 aircraft, and that the 50 per cent options clause (63 additional aircraft) had not been decided on yet.

- Shiv Aroor

 

[Sridhar]

Haven't Heard Rumours About MMRCA: IAF Chief
"I haven't heard any rumours about the MMRCA competition on whether it could go to a company other than the one selected," Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne has said. "Contract negotiations (with Dassault) are very well on track and progressing satisfactorily. We expect a contract to be awarded this financial year."

The IAF chief said the primary contract would be only for 126 aircraft, and that the 50 per cent options clause (63 additional aircraft) had not been decided on yet.
Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone

Livefist: Haven't Heard Rumours About MMRCA: IAF Chief

 

[Kunal Biswas]

63 additional ? Yes please..

 

[sayareakd]

more the better.......................:thumb:

 

[p2prada]

126 aircraft = 6 squadrons.
1 squadron = 16 operational aircraft + 2 trainers + 3 reserve = 21 aircraft.

63 aircraft will add another 3 squadrons.

SFC has asked for one squadron to be earmarked for nuclear delivery, for their use.

 

[sayareakd]

126 aircraft = 6 squadrons.
1 squadron = 16 operational aircraft + 2 trainers + 3 reserve = 21 aircraft.

63 aircraft will add another 3 squadrons.

SFC has asked for one squadron to be earmarked for nuclear delivery, for their use.

Lets hope that what will be deliver for SFC has extra fuel capacity to take very long range mission and it will be in addition to the above 126+63 planes.

 

[p2prada]

Lets hope that what will be deliver for SFC has extra fuel capacity to take very long range mission and it will be in addition to the above 126+63 planes.

SFC is currently not capable of having aircraft of their own. Even if they get it, it will take them at least another 20-30 years to build up the experience working on aircraft. Instead IAF told SFC that they can use the same aircraft IAF uses for their needs, the same way how Mirages are assigned for nuclear delivery when the need arises. So, that way IAF does not lose control of aircraft.

IMO, I don't think SFC will ever get aircraft for their own use.

If you remember the new interview with the ACM, he pointed out that "everybody" wants their own "little air forces" now. He was talking about both IA and SFC. If the Army cannot convince the IAF to give them control of medium helicopters, then forget about SFC controlling a squadron or two of Rafales.

 

[sathya]

knowing french, its better to ink about next 63 now only .. or be prepared to pay more..

unless you want semi stealth 63 later.:thumb:

 

[p2prada]

The costs will be the same because they are in the same contract. We may opt for better avionics for which it may cost extra.

 

[ersakthivel]

This point should be other way round....Gripen is AN ACTIVE fighter jet active in the service of Sweden (the maker) and in the service of many foreign air forces....It has already achieved the success that it was qualified by the worlds 4h largest air force to participate in the race of 126 jet contract (an AF whose Tejas according to you is an equal)
Hold your horses dear.....let Tejas get IOC from our AF lets see some serious induction (with which IAF is really happy and not forced by govt to induct them just to save face) and then we will talk abt taking it against some serious fighter like GRIPEN...

why we should even compare 2 fighters when 1 out of 2 is actually a frontline fighter jet with some air forces around the world and 1 is still struggling
to get IOC.....

[/QUOTE]

Btw what new capabilities that are needed to be added on LCA to reach IOC?
Grippen's so called NG's first developmental flight is sheduled at 2013!!!!
So there is no grippen NG as of today.

the IAF which allowed grippen in MMRCA also placed order for close to 120 lcas.

The swiss who have chosen grippen are asked to put up with C/Ds till 2017!!!!!!
Grippen NG is much more detailed re engineering than MK-II vs Mk-I.
Relocation of landing gear adding extra fuel capacity all must be done.
ANd full validation needed much more than for Mk-II.

And both are going to fly with same engine and almost comparable specs.
grippen exceeds the F-16.Thats all

Btw there is no need to discuss LCA vs grippen here for that we should go to LCA thread.

 

[Drsomnath999]

And if Dassault convinced the Americans to buy the Rafale?

Visiting the University of Defence in Brest, Edelstenne noted that future American F-35 would cost much more than the Rafale. Dassault boss invites Americans to buy French.

This is one of the provocations Edelstenne a secret. Scuds as a boss Dassault Aviation strives to send with the regularity of a Swiss watch. Second day of the Defense University on Tuesday, September 11 at 9:00 in Brest: a peaceful debate ensued on the "defense of Europe". Industrial, military, ambassadors, heads of agencies and defense weapons converse setbacks of European and American programs, including the massive program of F-35 or JSF, in which the United States had succeeded in embarking countries European countries such as the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Edelstenne rises. Request the microphone. And embarks on a merciless pounding of the U.S., the total cost has slipped from 50% in recent years, from 1,000 to 1,500 billion according to the Pentagon. "The current difficulties are just the beginning, because the maturation phase systems is much more complex. The unit cost has already surpassed that of the Rafale , while the quantities ordered for the F-35 is more than ten times higher ... "

The reason for the continuation of this program ruinous? Edelstenne cracks a smile: "The Americans call TINA program, for" There is no alternative. "But if there is an alternative: the Rafale aircraft experienced technically and financially."

A joke based on a reality

The message is clear: if the countries of the F-35 program, including the United States, came to renounce, Dassault would be delighted to place its Rafale. Although the manufacturer has made a habit to deliver only 11 aircraft per year in its sole French client: "If states want hundreds of aircraft, we will arrange no problem," laughs Eric Trappier, international director of the aircraft manufacturer.

Of course, the proposal is primarily Edelstenne the joke: it would hurt Washington and its allies to abandon a program to 1,450 billion (the life of equipment) to buy French fighter, even if the Rafale would probably be much cheaper than the F-35.

But the projection of this morning has at least the merit of clearly the problem: despite additional costs phenomenal enormous technical difficulties on the engine Pratt & Whitney F135 and industrial returns disappoint Washington's allies, the program F-35 Lockheed Martin has actually managed its strategic goal: Wipe the defense budgets of several European states, burdened by this purchase, while preventing them to go to the competition despite the delays and extra costs of the program.

At this time of writing a new White Paper on Defence, the lesson is not anecdotal. NATO, and through it the United States, continue to put pressure on Europe to convert to "pooling and sharing" and "Smart defense", two popular anglicisms to define the pooling and sharing between allied military equipment such as tankers or surveillance drones. It was one of the great anthems of the NATO summit in Chicago.

A strategy that could be that of Europe against the American ogre

At first glance, the idea is appealing the European states in the midst of shrinking defense budgets. But the trap is clear: most of these shares are, and may always be, on American equipment. "The Smart Defense is a war machine for the U.S. industry, ensures Jean-Louis Carrère, chairman of the Defense Committee of the Senate. Example F-35 and perhaps soon the anti-ballistic missile defense [ European shield project-based radars, and interceptor missiles destroyers American Ed] shows that their method is to drain the national budget and kill the European defense industry. " All without the industrial returns expected by customers in Europe: "On the F-35, industrial return for partners, including the United Kingdom, the caliper measurement," points to the delegate gééral arming Laurent Collet -Billon.

By offering a pooling based on the Rafale, Edelstenne sketch perhaps the strategy could be the face of Europe in the American ogre: the pooling of equipment, yes, but incorporating a dimension of European preference. Remains whether the historic allies of Washington in Europe, London head, hear it that way.
Google Translate

 

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[Kunal Biswas]

SP's Aviation, October 2012, IAF modernisation :

 

[Kunal Biswas]

SP's Aviation, October 2012, IAF modernisation :

 

[p2prada]

The projected chart seems to be off by a wide margin. As of today we have 49 Mirage-2000s with 2 awaiting approvals. We have ordered 63 Mig-29UPG upgrades, not 70. Mig-27 will be retired by 2017.

So, that's around 126 aircraft extra in the list.

Squadron numbers are fine though. 13-14 MKIs, 6 Rafales, 6 LCAs, 3 Mirage-2000s, 3 Mig-29s, 6 Jaguars. That's 37-38 squadrons by 2022 confirmed. The remaining 4-5 squadrons are a mystery. Most probably more Rafale squadrons directly(KDs) supplied by the French and maybe 2 squadrons of the Russian PAKFA version, but the latter may be less likely.

 

[SajeevJino]

The RAFALE Omnirole Fighter: Pushing Forward on New Air-to-Air Capabilities​

by Dassault Aviation Tuesday, 16 October 2012

In October 2012, the RAFALE omnirole fighter reached two major milestones: the first delivery of a production aircraft equipped with the first production RBE2 AESA radar, and the initial successful testing of the new-generation, very long-range, METEOR air-to-air missile.


Pushing forward on new air-to-air capabilities, the Rafale B301, operating from Cazaux DGA Flight Test Center in southwestern France, successfully completed, on October 4 then on October 10, two successful tests of the beyond visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) Meteor.


On December 22, 2010, the French defense procurement agency (DGA: Direction Générale de l'Armement) ordered 200 Meteor missiles. A week after, the contract for integration of the Meteor missile to the Rafale system was awarded to the industry.


This advanced, ramjet-powered, missile, made by MBDA, is intended for air defense missions. It will intercept targets at very long range, and it will be a perfect complement to the MICA missile, which is currently used at shorter ranges for air-to-air interception, dogfight and self-defense.
On October 2, 2012, the first production Rafale F3 (the single-seater C137), equipped with the first production Thales RBE2 AESA 1 radar, was delivered to the French DGA, paving the way for the introduction into operational service of the first European combat aircraft fully exploiting the cutting edge AESA radar technology.



Extended range capabilities offered to the Rafale by the RBE2 AESA radar (among a number of other key operational benefits) allow the full use of the latest generation of long-range air-to-air missiles such as the Meteor.


The Rafale is already an extremely effective new-generation, combat proven (Afghanistan, Libya), omnirole tactical fighter, but development is continuing apace to exploit more and more of the aircraft's tremendous capabilities, and to seamlessly add new ones. As a result, the Rafale looks set to become even better in the near future.


The RAFALE Omnirole Fighter: Pushing Forward on New Air-to-Air Capabilities