November 29, 2005 at 2:39 pm
After the Rafale’s defeat by the F-15 in Singapore, I thought it was time to ask about the status of the M88-3 program. Snecma’s website used to offer details on the M88-3, but fell strangely silent a year or two ago. Similarly, I haven’t seen any media references to the M88-3 for quite a while?
Is the M88-3 dead, along with any chance of an upgrade Rafale “Mk2?”
What precisely were the specs on the M88-3?
As I recollect, the fan diameter, and overall length were slightly great than for the M88-2. Oddly enough, the M88-3 was very nearly the same size and output as the EJ200. Scale models of the upgraded Rafale showed a RB199 style nozzle – very strange.