January 19, 2009 at 1:47 am
Since everyone seems to want to try and bring the Rafale into this I thought I would start one about Rafale.
Similarities to the Typhoon are they are both twin engine, primitive airframe design (canard/delta), expensive, over hyped, underdeveloped.
Rafale seems to be a bit more optimized for multi role if it where fully developed. Rafale is at least a platform truly independent of the USA. Rafale has a carrier based version. So will it be a commercial success. No it does not look like it will garner many overseas orders. Is it a national success? Yes, it gives France a reasonably modern and useful system independent of the US or any other power. In that sense alone it makes the platform worthwhile.