Rafale is the best !

...The best plane in the world is the DASSAULT RAFALE Marine !



RAFALE MULTI-ROLE COMBAT FIGHTER, FRANCE
Rafale is a twin-jet combat aircraft capable of carrying out a wide range of short- and long-range missions, including ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance, and high-accuracy strike or nuclear strike deterrence.

The aircraft has been developed for the French Air Force and Navy. 61 have been ordered (36 for the Air Force and 25 for the Navy) out of a total requirement of around 300 (234 for the Air Force and 60 for the Navy). The Rafale is produced in three variants, M, B and C. The Rafale M variant is a single seater carrier-based version for the Navy; B and C are a two seater and a single seater for the Air Force. The Rafale M entered service in 2001 and ten have been delivered. Seven aircraft are operational on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. Rafale B and C will enter service in 2004. A two-seater Rafale N version is being developed for the Navy for delivery in 2008.

Rafale fighters delivered to the Navy so far are F1 standard with air-to-air capability. F2 standard with air-to-ground missiles are to be delivered in 2004. A contract to develop the fully capable F3 standard aircraft with terrain-following 3D radar and air-launched nuclear missile capability was signed in February 2004. The Rafale F3 will be delivered from 2007 and the first squadron of 20 aircraft will be in service in 2008.

COCKPIT
The cockpit has hands-on throttle and stick control (HOTAS). The cockpit is equipped with a head-up, wide-angle holographic display from Thales Avionique, which provides aircraft control data, mission data and firing cues. A collimated, multi-image head-level display presents tactical situation and sensor data, and two touch-screen lateral displays show the aircraft system parameters and mission data. The pilot also has a helmet-mounted sight and display. A CCD camera and on-board recorder records the image of the head-up display throughout the mission.

WEAPONS
The Rafale can carry payloads of over nine tons on 14 hardpoints for the Air Force version, and 13 for the naval version. The range of weapons includes Mica, Magic, Sidewinder, ASRAAM and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; Apache, AS30L, ALARM, HARM, Maverick and PGM100 air-to-ground missiles; and Exocet/AM39, Penguin 3 and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. For a strategic mission, the Rafale can deliver the MBDA (formerly Aerospatiale) ASMP stand-off nuclear missile. Main weapons are expected to be the MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics) MICA air-to-air missile, MBDA Storm Shadow/Scalp EG stand-off cruise missile and the MBDA (Aerospatiale) AS 30 laser-guided missile.

The Rafale has a twin-gun pod and a GIAT 30mm DEFA 791B cannon which can fire 2,500 rounds per minute.

The Rafale is equipped with laser designation pods for laser guidance of air-to-ground missiles.

COUNTERMEASURES
The Rafale's electronic warfare system is the Spectra from Thales. Spectra incorporates solid state transmitter technology, radar warner, DAL laser warning receiver, missile warning, detection systems and jammers.

SENSORS
The Rafale is equipped with an RBE2 radar, developed by Thales, which has look-down and shoot-down capability. The radar can track up to eight targets simultaneously and provides threat identification and prioritisation.

The optronic systems include the Thales/SAGEM OSF infrared search and track system, installed in the nose of the aircraft. The optronic suite carries out search, target identification, telemetry and automatic target discrimination and tracking.

NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
The communications suite on the Rafale uses the Saturn onboard V/UHF radio, which is a second-generation, anti-jam tactical UHF radio for NATO. Saturn provides voice encryption in fast-frequency hopping mode. The aircraft is also equipped with fixed-frequency VHF/UHF radio for communications with civil air traffic control. A multifunction information distribution system (MIDS) terminal provides secure, high-data-rate tactical data exchange with NATO C2 stations, AWACS aircraft or naval ships.

Rafale is equipped with a Thales TLS 2000 navigation receiver, which is used for the approach phase of flight. The TLS 2000 integrates the instrument landing system (ILS), microwave landing system (MLS) and VHF Omni-directional Radio-ranger (VOR) and marker functions.

The radar altimeter is the AHV 17 altimeter from Thales, which is suitable for very low flight. The Rafale has a TACAN tactical air navigation receiver for en route navigation and as a landing aid.

The Rafale has an SB25A combined interrogator-transponder developed by Thales. The SB25A is the first IFF using electronic scanning technology.

ENGINE
The Rafale is powered by two M88-2 engines from SNECMA, each providing a thrust of 75kN. The aircraft is equipped for buddy-buddy refuelling with a flight refuelling hose reel and drogue pack.

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So you can take your JSF-22 raptor, X-35 and Eurofighter Typhoon and SU-27 Flankers to the trash bin ! The actually in service best one is the RAFALE ! I said in service, so, I dont compare with the Sukhoi BERKUT...
The only default is that it's a bit too expensive, even for the french army !

A good site for the ONLYONE multirole fighter in the world : www.rafale.com.sg...





[Edited on 11-5-2004 by Nans DESMICHELS]

[Edited on 18-5-2004 by John bull 1]

best for what tasks/purposes..?

Multirole !

Please, that thing is a hunk of junk that took forever to get out to the Armed Forces.

If you want to talk about aircraft in service, then the F-14, 15, 18 could whip it in a clean fight easily.

Have you seen the performance rating for the engines? No wonder it can't carry as much off the carrier (when it sails).

JSF is the best multi-role...hey, I'm partial.



seekerof

In your dreams.
You want to send those poor USAF pilots to a certain death ?



JSF ? It's not a troops transport plane ?


[Edited on 10-5-2004 by Nans DESMICHELS]

not really.. it is a very nice light agile fighter, but best multi-role? naah, it lacks the range/payload etc..

id say the new flanker variants are the best multi-role aircraft made take su-35/37 or su-27SN for example..

joint strike fighter air-to-air capabilety sucks.

Joint Strike Fighter: F-35

Sector:

Thats what the F-22 is there for.



seekerof

[Edited on 10-5-2004 by Seekerof]

uh, we are speaking of a single multi role aircraft

Regardless of a weapons capability, the final effectiveness is determined by the person/organization wielding it. In this case all I have to say is Maginot Line? Germans marching thru the Champ Elysee? How about Paris, destination of World conquers for 1400 years? It's fast and can carry a lot of ordinance but can it fly backwards and make Crepe Suzette?

I dont pretend to know anything on Planes, but like most things dont they get better as they progress? Making the Raptor and Typhoon the best?!

I was responding to Nans statement about sending pilots to their death, so that was on topic.

Two, the argument is absurd without talking about the pilots as these are not pilotless aircraft. The whole purpose of putting all the gizmos on the planes is to give the pilots a better chance of surviving.

IMAGINE THE PILOTS GOT THE SAME SKILL, we are talking about AIR craft capabileties not pilots AIRCRAFT

That is ridiculous as not all air forces train to the same standards.

If this was just a paper debate, then the rafale still looses out to the F-14D and F-15E on payload and speed alone. It looses to the F/A-18E/F on the EW suite by a wide margin.

[Edited on 10/5/04 by COOL HAND]

agreed so it is not a really good multi-role aircraft..

It is one of the older "new generation" jet fighters. Its technology is a little older than the Eurofighter. It performs well as a fighter but its not the greatest all around fighter.

oh please dont make me die of laughter. the raptor is THE BEST period