An interesting point :

In a recent interview, Eric Gerard, former rafale test pilot stated that in a twin seater rafale, the front cockpit can be set for AA with the pilot managing the A2A fire control (AA radar picture and tracks, AA missile setup) while the backseat cockpit can be set in AG mode with the WSO managing the AG modes of the weapon system (AG radar picture, ground target designation etc..)

This is where lies the difference between an “omnirole” fighter and a simple “swingrole” one.

It is worth noting that 2 radar competed for the rafale :

– A PESA radar from Thomson-CSF
– An AESA from Dassault Electronique

The Dassault proposal was quite revolutionnary for the time and was also probably judged to risky… So the Thomson PESA radar (aka RBE-2) won.

However, some people says that the decision was mainly political because of the personal animosity between Serge Dassault (CEO of Dassault Electronique) and the Defense Minister of the time.

Later, Dassault Electectonique was bought by Thomson-CSF (now Thales) which is now developping the RBE-2 AESA :rolleyes:

It helps to ensure that the programme retains political support, and it helps ensure that it is funded, and it minimises trouble-making opposition.

Well, you seems to forget that the rafale has been delayed for 10 years by french politicians.

and while only someone blinded by nationalistic pride would regard them as being akin to the holy bible, only an equally blind nationalistic zealot would reject them.

I do not reject those sim I’m only saying that the results you get will depend on the data you use. Therefore, each user of these sims can get defferent results…

Nor were they 1 vs 1 simulations, and both did take account of EW, ECM, ECCM, L16, etc. SILVE even involved strike packages and E-3 support.

I’m not saying they only simulate 1 vs 1 i say that the more complex the scenario is, the less accurate the result will be (more data = more guestimations = less acurate results)

Nice picti=ure of a rafale M refueling a sem

what are the inner wing pilons cleared for? I think I have only ever seen them carrying fuel tanks.

AFAIK, they are also cleared for the scalp and apache cruise missile

Could they carry the triple bomb racks as well, for a total of 12 AASM’s?

don’t know

Can they carry Mica?

probably

One more thing, where is the Damocles pod to be carried?

another rare picture :

The new official cockpit picture :

and just for my own pleasure 😀 :

super nounou 🙂