Captain Romain point of view (rafale pilot) :

http://www.surlering.com/article/article.php/article/capitaine-romain-pilote-de-rafale

The rafale is extremely maneuverable and thus awesome in dogfight. For example, confronted with a Eurofighter, engaged in a within visual range combat with a neck to neck start, we know we need a few dozens of seconds to validate a ‘gun kill’.

translation in english here :
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?137433-Rafale-News/page107

The ROE were pretty restrictive for the rafale : the phantom used its AMRAM at full capability while the rafale was limited to mica-IR LOBL.

Here is a video of various rafale HUD gun shot vs the SH and F16 :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miUJZpBqFqE&feature=player_embedded

Here is the longest range reported during a live test. 67KM is not that bad !
Max official range is 80KM according to the DGA.

On May 8, 1998, a two-seat Di fired one MICA missile and successfully hit a target drone 67 km away. It was the first launch of the said missile outside France. The second MICA live-firing exercise took place off the east coast of Taiwan on March 29, 2000, in which 2051 fired a single MICA missile from its left inner pylon.

http://www.taiwanairpower.org/af/mirage.html

To be honest, it is a bit too detailed and goes to various arguments to be just a pakistani “trap” into convincing the “naive” IAF not to get Typhoon (like if IAF had no way to find out how Typhoon really performs).

That’s what I also thought, the interview seem credible and this is reinforce by the number of details and arguments on the other points as well.

Here is a HUD video of WVR dogfight with F16 vs TYPHOON. F16 wins :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAedQ7FMiKo

there is a nice collection of Typhoon being gun shot here :

http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5934&p=1091008#p1091008

The mica IR is in a category of its own and have no direct competition. With a 60Km range and a LOAL capability+ datalink it will be fired well before the merge.

So if the EM option fail due to jamming you don’t need to wait the merge and you can avoid therefor a “russian roulette” situation, especially considering the fact that HMS are more and more widespread.

That makes the Mica IR a much more valuable asset despite the cost.
It is also as agile to other WVR missile especially with its TVC and large aerodynamic control surfaces.

I just read in latest DSI that a 17th land based mica test firing was successfully achieved against a target flying at medium altitude at a range exceeding 15km. With a 0 speed and the difference of altitude that tells a lot in terms of kinetics, at least compared to other conventional WVR AA missiles. And this test was witnessed by 4 foreign delegation.

Here is a video of test firing of the mica VL (it is a standard MICA). Pretty maneuverable. At 36 sec the course change is quick…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLYvty_alQ4

RAFALE UPGRADES

>> Air&Cosmos reports on rafale upgrades (current and future) :

SENSORS :

RBE2 AESA : azimut is now 70° instead of 60° previously and range is increased by more than 40%. Further range increase has been demonstrated for UAE needs by increasing the power output from 9,6kW to 14kW. The only thing necessary is to change the Coolanol pomp for a new one in order to cope with the increase heating.

For the beginning the modes for the AESA radar are the same as the F3 standard but additional modes will be added in the close future (GMTT/GMTI).

For the 5th batch side arrays should be added to increase the azimuth coverage to more than 120°

DDM-NG :

The new DDM-NG is a substantial upgrade and can support directional countermeasures. Coverage is increased with new fish eyes optics.

OSF-IT & NG

A new generation IR channel is being contemplated and will probably be integrated at a latter stage.

AEROS-POD :

The recce pod will be upgraded to allow in flight target extraction to allow an a quick response strike. It will be fully integrated in the rafale MMI.

DAMOCLES XF

The new TV channel is currently being tested and will enter in service in 2015-2016.

WEAPONS

METEOR :

integration tests are continuing with first separation tests in 2012. It will be operational in 2018 with the French Air force but it could be operational as soon as 2016 if a customer requires it.

AASM-IR :

They will be upgraded with an anti-tank function/algorithms to allow more effective long range simultaneous tank strikes.

GBU-24 :

It will be operational this year with the AdA and test with the rafale M will begin soon to be operational with navy in 2012.

Contained effect weapon :

That’s the hot topic for the french MoD at the moment and currently mobilize a significant number of people. Option are :

-Brimstone
-Laser guided rockets
-125Kg AASM
-Scalpel bomb

Scoop : a New Franco-British AtA missile in replacement of Mica-IR an ASRAM is well on track at a discussion level between the two MOD.

ENGINES :

The new improved M884-E will have an increase of 40% to 50% of its life span. Tests (in flight and ground based) are almost complete.

M88-9 for UAE will have an inflow increase from 65kg/s to 72Kg/s compression rate will be increased at 27.

PROGRAME MILLSTONES :

-rafale M02 prototype will be fully upgraded to the F3+ variant to validate this config for naval ops.

-First F3+ rafale will be the C137 and will be delivered during summer 2012 for operational testing to the CEAM. After a full operational campaign the first rafale F3+ delivered to the AdA will occur mid-2013.

-For the 4th batch it is 25 rafale C, 25 rafale B and 10 rafale M.

DEDIRA (DEmonstrateur de DIscrétion RAfale), FRENCH STEALTH RAFALE PROJECT.

DEDIRA is now the official name of the global project to reduce rafale radar signature which contain passive and active solutions.

The features that are very likely to be integrated to reduce further rafale radar signature are :

-Improved air intake design
-New generation RAM
-Stealth Cocoon and hard point to hide weapons
-GaN spectra (already in development since 2009 under the INCAS project (INsert CApability Spectra)
-Other features kept secret by the french Mod