FonkI think you need to refresh your infos:
MIDS is already in OPVAL with Rafale F2 Standards, and will enter service with the Armee de l’Air in 2005 at BA- 113 St Dizier.
http://img66.exs.cx/img66/4484/f2standard8eu.jpg
http://img66.exs.cx/img66/2539/f3standard9es.jpg
It was already in development before the service entry of Rafale Ms.
Thales welcomes operational service entry of Rafale Marine, Rafale development have been rather swifter than many anticipated and even the concurent have been caught naping, mostly because neither Rafale oartners are using an agressive commercial policy…
http://www.thalesgroup.com/press/press_releases/?index=3
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, 25 Jun 2004
Thales welcomes the entry of the Rafale F1 standard into operational service, announced by the French Navy at the Landivisiau naval airbase on 25 June 2004. The entry into operational service is a sign of the Rafale’s operational success with the Aéronavale (the French Navy’s air arm) and confirms the programme as a key element of France’s defence for the coming decades.
The air defence mission of France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is conducted using the ten Rafale F1 standard aircraft that make up 12F Squadron. Thales supplies most of the onboard equipment needed to ensure system implementation and mission success, including the RBE2 electronic scanning radar, the Spectra electronic warfare suite (in partnership with MBDA), the IFF identification system and airframe equipment such as the mission and data-storage computer, displays, communication systems, backup instruments and electric power generation systems.
The entry into operational service of the Rafale F1 standard and the success of the Agapanthe 04 mission are the results of major development efforts conducted since the Héraclès campaign, in which Thales played a major role. Initial feedback in 2002, following deployment in critical naval operating conditions, led to a series of modifications to the onboard equipment in order to optimise its implementation and operational deployment. These modifications were made in close collaboration with French Navy’s pilots and technicians. The current success is the result of all the development, production engineering and final adjustment efforts that have gone into the F1 standard.
The entry into operational service is the first vital stage in this long-term programme. The subsequent stages are already scheduled. They include the development of the F2 standard, the first multi-role standard that will support additional air-to-surface functions, and the production of forty-eight aircraft. In addition to improvements to the existing equipment, the F2 standard will feature new equipment, including the forward sector optronics system (in partnership with Sagem), the MDPU(1) modular computer and the MIDS(2) tactical datalink. The entry into operational service will commence with an initial testing phase at Mont-de-Marsan military flight test centre from September 2004.
The F3 standard, which entered development in early 2004, will give the Rafale complementary operational capabilities, including deployment and fire control of ASMP-A medium-range air-to-ground missiles and AM39 anti-ship missiles, as well as accommodating the RECO NG optronics pod and high-resolution air-to-ground mapping with the RBE2 radar. Finally, Thales is preparing for the future with new developments planned: these include the integration of the Damocles laser designation pod and improvements to the forward sector optronics system, Spectra electronic warfare suite and RBE2 active antenna.
MIDS was mentioned by Dassault two years ago in Singapore and also detailed in one of their internal magazines some time later…
😎 Rafale is ONLY lacking in the concurents manufacturers wishes list.
Fonkdifferent objectives there: But still complementaries.
Have a look at the corrective above. Sorry to post it too late but i had to dig some stuff…
For the links, as the British and US figured out during operation Telic, it’s a matter of Bandwith. UAV/UCAVS are great consumer of it. So untill they manage to split the two paltforms support in terms of needs there also will be a need to develop automation. This is also giving the single-seaters the oportunity to beneficiate from these assets as well as scouts, advanced air controlers, target designators etc. The highest level of auromation will enable alarger number of assets in the air at any one time. I think this is what they are working at. And Dassault like SAAB knows that their technological capabilities are complementaries. Also, the fact that there will be NO Rafale Marine two-seasters (or N for Navals) giver me the impresssion that they are planning to fly the embarqued UCAVs from CDG/E2Cs AWACS etc.
Rafale two seaters never were proposed in a trainer version either, and i saw pictures sugesting the idea in the French and British press at least as early as 1998. There is a good reason why Saab haver jumped ship to join Dassault in this programme. In fact they have a lot in common.
FonkUCAV requiered specs?:
http://img82.exs.cx/img82/2672/SAAB-NEURON.jpg
I’m not too sure they will disclose them before a while. These NEURON and EUROMALE programmes are probabily more technology bemonstrators for the moment. It normally would be issued by a multi-national board like the requierements for Tornado or other multi-national programmes. As for SAAB, they are not that far ahead on the network field, Rafale F2 is already network capable with MIDS which have been develpoped for several years, where they have scored lately is on the field of automation. They developed an entirelly autonomous mission capable drone which flew without any ground control or other external intervention… Including take off and landing. This makes it Day/Night/all weather capable.
http://img93.exs.cx/img93/5779/gallery_saab01.jpg
I’m not sure if the pic above is the original or a replica.
As for the availability of this package to a concurent aircraft: I believe this is a conflict of intertest between the EU and the US. In fact this is a concurent of what became the US-Lead ex-FOAS programme.
Originally, this was a planed joint cooperdative Dassault/BAe Systems programme which did mutate into FOAS, then was Politically barred by the U.S administration, while the British MoD was lured into a fool deal, virtually kinlling the Manned Combat componnent of it and replacing it with the F-35 programme.
From Jane’s all the world aircraft..
“Following from a technology-sharing accord of December 1992, Dassault Aviation and British Aerospace Defance signed an agreement on 31 October 1995, providing for the formation of a joint venture military aircraft company. Intention to sestablish EAeS was announced on 4 September 1998, each participant to hold 50 per cent and contribute three members to director’s board. EAeS remains outside EADS. Initial task of EAeS project using integrated teams, formulating technologies and processes applicable both to existing products and to possible future technology demonstrators for futur fighter aircraft programmes. In may 2000, EAeS was awarded two technology contracts by the UK and French ministries of Defence for development of weapons integration and vehicle system concepts.”
22 January 2001
UK’s JSF MoU deal with USA infuriates Europe
Nick Cook JDW Aviation Editor
London
The UK is set to encounter a furious backlash from continental European governments and defence companies against its signature last week of a government memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the USA over the next stage of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme (Jane’s Defence Weekly 17 January).
The full force of European anger with the UK is likely to be felt most severely by BAE Systems, which has key agreements, and is negotiating others, in the collaborative combat aircraft field with European companies. At least one of those agreements could be in danger of dissolution, French, German and UK sources warned last week, if the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) insists on staking its future on collaborating solely with the USA on low observables (LO) or stealth technology.
The issue is focused on a programme called the European Technology Acquisition Plan (ETAP), which calls for the development of a European stealth technology demonstrator aircraft by France, Germany, Sweden and the UK.
The plan as proposed is set to fall apart because the UK MoD is refusing to give BAE Systems or other UK companies permission to discuss any aspect of LO technology with other potential European partners – EADS, Dassault Aviation and Saab. The LO ban stems from years of secret LO technology transfer between the UK and the USA at government level (JDW 4 October 2000).
“The deadline for a decision is approaching fast,” a senior German industry official told JDW. “If there is no solution on the LO issue, then we’ll have to continue (in ETAP) without BAE.” The Italian combat aircraft industry, which is set to merge shortly with EADS’ fighter business in the European Military Aircraft Company would absorb the UK’s workshare in ETAP if there is no resolution, the official said.
The danger of a schism in Europe’s combat aircraft industry was also acknowledged by a senior source at BAE. “Unless we resolve the UK’s attitude towards signatures management [LO],” the official said, “it will be hard to progress further collaboration in Europe.
“The MoD has a high desire to draw its LO technology from the USA, because there are areas where the USA is significantly ahead of us. But they [the UK MoD] are taking the policy to extremes. If you don’t share anything outside the US-UK relationship it forces you into a Draconian position in which you’ll only ever be able to do co-development projects with the USA. There is a danger of putting all our eggs into the JSF basket.”
Last week’s signature on the UK-US JSF MoU will see the UK committing £1.3 billion ($1.9 billion) to the JSF engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) phase and a further £600 million for “UK specific requirements”, including communications and weapons integration. UK government officials acknowledged that stealth was a key issue, but said that the details of this aspect of the MoU would be negotiated under an “additional framework letter”.
The signature of the JSF MoU, together with the UK MoD’s ‘stealth ban’ has provoked considerable anger within the French military-industrial base. It has noted the UK MoD’s growing lack of enthusiasm in recent months for a new European manned fighter to replace the Panavia Tornado and Dassault Mirage 2000 in the third decade of the century (JDW 17 January).
“France really wants to know what the UK ‘master-plan’ is,” said a senior source within EADS. Without resolution on the stealth issue, the official warned, Dassault, in which EADS has a large shareholding, might be forced to withdraw from European Aerosystems, its combat aircraft joint venture with BAE.
Two Anglo-French technology demonstration contracts covering non-stealth aspects of a future strike aircraft have been awarded to European Aerosystems to date, but unless the UK MoD lifts the stealth ban, BAE and EADS officials agreed, further collaboration would be difficult, if not impossible. It could also endanger the longevity of the Eurofighter relationship, in which BAE and EADS are partners they said.
That pessimistic view was countered last week by Steve Mogford, chief operating officer of BAE, who told JDW there was no imminent threat to its relationship with Dassault or other European companies.
Hoon defends signing of MoU
US Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon and UK Minister of State for Defence Procurement Baroness Symons signed the JSF MoU in Washington on 18 January.
The US-UK MoU is expected to give UK industry a 15% workshare of JSF EMD and create or sustain 5,000 jobs within 70 companies in the UK, government officials said last week. A £7 billion production decision later in the decade would lead to the procurement of 150 JSFs for the UK Future Carrier Borne Aircraft programme, a replacement for Royal Navy Sea Harrier FA2s and RAF Harrier GR7s starting in 2012.
UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said: “JSF will not simply replace the Harrier, it will give the UK an aircraft that can take off from an aircraft carrier and provide the agility of a light fighter with the punch of a bomber. Put simply, it will be the best aircraft of its type in the world.
“Signing the MoU now will continue our involvement in the JSF programme as a full collaborative partner and will enable the UK to take part in the selection of the prime contractor for the next phase.”
http://www.janes.com/defence/air_forces/news/jdw/jdw010122_1_n.shtml
I think the all idea was to respond to the US atempt to slow Stealth technology develpopment
istoric agreement in the European defence aeronautics industry
Mme Michele Alliot-Marie, the French Minister of Defence, spoke at the opening of the Eurosatory air show and expressed her pleasure with the major agreement signed between EADS, the European company which is the world leader in civil and military aeronautics, Dassault Aviation, the world’s largest supplier in business and military aviation, and Thales, European leader in defense electronics.
This founding agreement, in the framework of the demonstrators launched by the Ministry of Defence, covers all future activity in combat and strategic reconnaissance aeronautics.
In combat aviation, Dassault Aviation was made prime contractor for the demonstrator of the unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV), as announced at the last Le Bourget air show. EADS will be a partner in the research and development of this technological demonstrator, to which SAAB (Sweden) and HAI (Greece) are already associated.
In reconnaissance aviation, EADS has been chosen as prime contractor for the EUROMALE demonstrator project, and will be a partner with THALES which will handle jointly with EADS the development of the ground segment and related systems.
The development of the flight segment and its system architecture is entrusted to Dassault Aviation and the manufacturing will be handled by teams from Dassault Aviation, EADS and Thales.
Close contacts have been made with other European industrial firms, including SAAB (Sweden) in particular.
Thus, all these cooperation agreements, which cover the essential reconnaissance and combat aviation segments, will make it possible to develop a powerful European industrial network in sensitive and strategic areas of the military aeronautics of the future.
N.B. : Dassault Aviation has announced that its UCAV will henceforth be called NEURON.
istoric agreement in the European defence aeronautics industry
Mme Michele Alliot-Marie, the French Minister of Defence, spoke at the opening of the Eurosatory air show and expressed her pleasure with the major agreement signed between EADS, the European company which is the world leader in civil and military aeronautics, Dassault Aviation, the world’s largest supplier in business and military aviation, and Thales, European leader in defense electronics.
This founding agreement, in the framework of the demonstrators launched by the Ministry of Defence, covers all future activity in combat and strategic reconnaissance aeronautics.
In combat aviation, Dassault Aviation was made prime contractor for the demonstrator of the unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV), as announced at the last Le Bourget air show. EADS will be a partner in the research and development of this technological demonstrator, to which SAAB (Sweden) and HAI (Greece) are already associated.
In reconnaissance aviation, EADS has been chosen as prime contractor for the EUROMALE demonstrator project, and will be a partner with THALES which will handle jointly with EADS the development of the ground segment and related systems.
The development of the flight segment and its system architecture is entrusted to Dassault Aviation and the manufacturing will be handled by teams from Dassault Aviation, EADS and Thales.
Close contacts have been made with other European industrial firms, including SAAB (Sweden) in particular.
Thus, all these cooperation agreements, which cover the essential reconnaissance and combat aviation segments, will make it possible to develop a powerful European industrial network in sensitive and strategic areas of the military aeronautics of the future.
N.B. : Dassault Aviation has announced that its UCAV will henceforth be called NEURON.
FonkMirage can’t beat Rafale on the following:
Thrust to weight ratio (TWR), AND available lift/drag ratio. In a turning fight, Rafale does always turn inside Mirage 2000’s turn radius with a lower AOA while generating less drag. At any airshows, Dassault test pilots have this problem: either they fly Rafale more agressivly to make it as “spectacular” as Mirage 2000, which is extremly “snapy” in pitch, or fly it the way they do usually and still beats the Mirage turning rates both instantaneous and sustained. The reason is, the canard surfaces of Rafale allows it to generate more lift for less AOA, meaning that once installed on its trajectory, it can optimise the lift/drag ratio weither the simple delta of Mirage 2000 will requier proportionally more AOA and also generate more drag and also keep it high to keep turning. Since drag goes against thrust, you can see that with more thrust installed, Rafale will beat it all the time. The only way a Mirage 2000 would b3et close is at high altitude high speed and then again it would have to fly past M 2.0.
:diablo:
FonkRafale UCAV leader is old news, and now HAI are on the ball.
http://www.rafale.com.sg/body_speech.html
ADDRESS BY MR. SERGE DASSAULT
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER DASSAULT AVIATION
MILLENIUM AIR POWER CONFERENCE SINGAPORE, 21 FEBRUARY 2000
Extracts ” “.
“One of our assessment studies concerns the RAFALE as UCAV flight leader with foreseeable roles : Suppression of Enemy Air Defence : SEAD Armed Reconnaissance Offensive strike Tactical Air Surface Maritime Operation”
“A SPECIFIC DATA-LINK FOR UCAV CONTROL
A LARGE ON-BOARD PROCESSING CAPACITY
AN ADAPTED MAN MACHINE INTERFACE
AN EXTENDED DATA FUSION PROCESS
FIRST POINT : TRANSMISSIONS
As a matter of fact, RAFALE is already fitted with sophisticated communication system.
Radio communications are based on the latest NATO standards.
For the future, we are assessing on-board satellite communication system.
Data transmissions are ensured again by the most advanced NATO equipment.
For UCAV close control, we envisage a dedicated DATA-LINK.
We would also be able to exchange video with UCAV.
SECOND POINT : PROCESSING CAPACITY
RAFALE is already fitted with a new generation of processing units.
Those units use COTS technology.
Therefore there is no reason why we will not get, in the mid term, the requested capacity for UCAV CONTROL, in terms of speed and volume.
THIRD POINT : MAN MACHINE INTERFACE
Controlling UCAV means that you have to rely on a very comprehensive MAN MACHINE INTERFACE that is adapted to a quick and right decision making process.
The RAFALE MAN MACHINE INTERFACE has been particularly worked out, in order to quicken this process.
It is based on 2 large displays :
A HEAD UP LEVEL DISPLAY
A HEAD LEVEL DISPLAY
that provide the pilot with all necessary information.
RAFALE features also :
HELMET MOUNTED DISPLAY,
AND DIRECT VOICE INPUT.
Two additional LATERAL DISPLAYS could also receive UCAV information.”
LAST POINT : EXTENDED DATA FUSION
“RAFALE is already equipped with a multi-sensor suite, that provides the crew with a comprehensive robust and non ambiguous SITUATION AWARENESS, due to a smart DATA FUSION PROCESS.”
“However, for UCAV command and control, we must be able in the future to fuze, in near real time, information coming both from the tactical and operative loops.”
“As far as UCAV CONTROL is concerned, we will ensure that it can become, in the future, a UCAV flight leader.”
“As far as UCAV CONTROL is concerned, we will update you regularly to share our first results.”
La Grèce 2e partenaire de la France pour UCAV
Date de publication : 21-09-2004
Michèle Alliot-Marie, ministre de la Défense, avait annoncé au dernier salon du Bourget, en juin 2003, le lancement d’un programme de démonstrateur technologique d’avion de combat sans pilote (UCAV).
Monsieur Yves Gleizes, délégué général pour l’armement et Monsieur Spyros Travlos, secrétaire général à la planification financière et aux investissements de défense hellénique, ont signé le 19 janvier 2004 pour la France et la Grèce une lettre d’intention (LoI) relative à la participation de la Grèce à ce programme. La Grèce, dont la participation est importante, est le deuxième pays d’Europe, après la Suède, à s’engager dans ce projet.
La signature de cette LoI manifeste non seulement la volonté de la France et de la Grèce de maintenir en Europe une capacité autonome de conception d’avion de combat sans pilote, mais aussi témoigne du renforcement de la coopération franco-hellénique dans le domaine de l’aéronautique.
Ce programme reste ouvert à la coopération et d’autres pays européens, qui ont manifesté un grand intérêt pour le projet, devraient prochainement s’engager dans le programme.
Programme UCAV
La délégation générale pour l’armement (DGA), agence exécutive de ce programme, notifiera en 2004 à Dassault Aviation le contrat pour la réalisation du démonstrateur technologique pour un budget d’environ 300 millions d’euros. Le premier vol aura lieu en 2008. L’industrie hellénique, notamment la société HAI (Hellenic Aerospace Industry), participera aux travaux de conception et de fabrication de ce démonstrateur technologique dont la maîtrise d’œuvre sera assurée par Dassault Aviation.
Le projet vient en complément des travaux ETAP (European Technology Acquisition Program), lancés par l’Allemagne, l’Espagne, la France, l’Italie, le Royaume-Uni et la Suède, et qui visent à acquérir les technologies de systèmes de combat aériens nécessaires à l’horizon 2020.
Contact : Matthieu Duvelleroy 01 45 52 73 26
http://img34.exs.cx/img34/2500/dassaultsagem0so.jpg
Dassault/SAAB, Dassault/Sagem
http://img46.exs.cx/img46/3227/NEURON-Dassault.jpg
NEURON
http://img46.exs.cx/img46/9899/EADS-Dassault.jpg
UCAV Programme.
http://img45.exs.cx/img45/6685/DronesDassault.jpg
the concept.
😎
FonkF3 Standard.
😎
http://img66.exs.cx/img66/2539/f3standard9es.jpg
http://img66.exs.cx/img66/4484/f2standard8eu.jpg
note: the price of Rafdale D is about 15% higher, so they are NOT comparible to Typhoon Yet. We’re talking F-3 standard aircrafts with much more capabilities than Eurofighter has developed so far for Typhoon. EJ-200 might have a higher thrust but Typhooon weight on at 11,150 kg. Nearly TWO tons more than Rafale C. As Datas are still classified for Rafale weight and Perfs, Dassault giving the requiered specs instead, with 10 ton class and M 1.8, it is uterly difficult to figure these out. One clue here. Diring Rafale M develppmewnt trial, one Dassault official left out ” At 6500 kg, ther M is about 500 kg heavier than C”. As they were conducting carrier trials at the time, you can conclude that the aircrafts were fully bakkasted for OSF and SPECTRA equipmenty in order to preserve CG and final version’s weight to get the precise datas for AOA and aproach speed.
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/661/M02FirstCDGtrap.jpg
As for its weight, is is better compared to another embarked aircraft like the F/A-18 E/F/G.
This would put the Rafale C, which will be the most numerous type in service with the Armee de l’Air at about 9,150 kg. So all in all, Rafale have a better TWR than Typhoon. By the way, JE-200 is also biger and heavier than M-88 althought it boast a slighlty higher TWR as an engine.
Rafale Fuel fraction is higher than that of Typhoon, JS-39 Gripen, F/A-18 E/F/Gs super Hornets. From all this fourht generation fighter, it is Rafale which carries the higher external load as well: 1.5 time its own weight (and above as it is now cleared for 24.500 kg MTOW).
http://img23.exs.cx/img23/7552/R-10.jpg
Also the aircraft is advertised wtih a maximum speed of M 1.8, which is a little odd as Raqfale A have demonstrated a stabilised max speed of M 2.0 early in its test flight programme. According to some specialised internet board, Typhoon’s RCS would be about 50% higher due to a lesser radar signature reduction measures.. This is difficult to quantify but a carefull examination of both aircraqfts would tend to make this claim rather plausible.
Eere area few pics which i think will give you a clue asto why Rafale RCS is 50% lower than that of Typhoon.
http://img80.exs.cx/img80/1803/R-35.jpg
Rafale c above and the first european styelth Drone flying, the Petit Duc below.
http://img23.exs.cx/img23/9939/petitduc17uc.jpg
http://img45.exs.cx/img45/1305/Boeing-X-45A.jpg
Boeing X-45A
http://img71.exs.cx/img71/9215/RAFALEMC-01_01.jpg
http://www.snecma.com/en/group/history/1975.php
http://img83.exs.cx/img83/6411/F-22-02.jpg
The figures are my estimates, still to be validated, i joint a link to SNECMA historic site with some very intersting infos…
Dassault Rafale C:
Empty weight: 9.150 kg. (high estimate)
Installed thrust:
2 (two)X M88-2 11,250 (dry) to 17,000 lb of thrust with afterburner.
Dry thrust: 11250 pound = 5,102.9141625 kg X2 =< 10.204 kg
Rafale C TWR dry =< 1.054
A-B thrust: 17000 pound = 7,711.07029 kg X2 =< 15.422 kg
The M88-2 powers the new-generation Rafale multirole fighter. Entirely designed, developed and produced by Snecma Moteurs, the M88 is the cornerstone for a new family of aero-engines, built around a common core.
The M88-2 is a new-generation engine featuring state-of-the-art technologies, including non-polluting combustion chamber, single-crystal turbine blades and powder metallurgy disks… It also features the latest advances in reducing electromagnetic and infrared signatures. In short, the M88-2 (11,250 to 17,000 lb of thrust) is a very compact powerplant, offering a high thrust-to-weight ratio and exceptional controllability, especially during acceleration.
From Mirage to Rafale
The Mirage 2000 prototype took off for the first time in March 1978 at the Istres base in Provence, powered by a Snecma M53-2 engine – also making its first flight! But even then Snecma was looking ahead to the next generation, and in 1980 it launched a demonstration program for the M88 military jet engine. Likewise, as early as 1982, with the 1,000th Larzac 04C-6 being delivered, the partners in this program signed an agreement for production of a new version, the 04C-20. The M53 would also evolve, to the -5 then -P2 version, tested in flight for the first time in 1983. Meanwhile, the Atar was going steadily along, and in 1986 Snecma feted production of its 5,000th Atar engine.
In February 1990, the M88-2 made its first flight on the Rafale A demonstrator built by Dassault Aviation. It showed exemplary performance throughout its test flights. During the first flight, it hit Mach 2 and almost 15,000 meters (almost 50,000 feets), without using its afterburner. The engine offered startling takeoff acceleration, from idle to full throttle with reheat in less than 3 seconds. By November, the 12 preproduction M88-2 engines had already logged some 1,250 hours of operation.
The M53 powers all versions of the Mirage 2000 fighter, and has proven its performance and reliability in the field. During the Gulf War, back in January and February 1991, French Mirages logged 1,416 hours in the hour with no engine-caused groundings. In April of that year, the prototype of the new Mirage 2000-5 made its maiden flight, hitting Mach 1.5. A month later, the twin M88-2-powered Rafale C01 prototype hit “supercruise” (supersonic flight without afterburner) during its first flight. The naval version of the Rafale entered service in 2001 onboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
I hope this help to bring up a more accurate and complete picture. Enjoy.
😎
Fonk😎
http://img80.exs.cx/img80/1803/R-35.jpg
F-22 planform is NOT a delta. Diamond shape if you whant, but delta is striclty a triangular shape as F-102/ F-106/ Mirage III Mirage 2000 etc. Even the Mig 21 is a good example although it is combine with a tail mounted elevator, the later delta developments are the JAS-39 Gripen/ Eurofighter Typhoon/ Dassault Rafale; all of which have a mixed areodynamic arrangement which also combine a delta wingplan to another surface, in this case a long moment harm or close coupled canard surface.
http://img90.exs.cx/img90/9977/Airflow-regeneration.gif
Strakes, like close coupled cannard have for effect to energise the airflow ower the wing and increase lit aht high Anle Of attack (AOA). Typhoon lacks thisf eature with a decoupled cannard and have to ressort to aditional strakes which are from the Mirage 2000 technologic generation, weither Gripen and Rafale have more efficient arrnagements.
http://img80.exs.cx/img80/4710/Strakes_01.jpg
Rafafe aerodynamic optimisation goes alot further than just the ues of close coulped canards, with use of shock wave effects to energise the boundary layer at higher speeds.
http://img74.exs.cx/img74/3441/Intake-Left-arrangement.jpg
The point where tis pheneomenon occurs are: B and E with the result of an accelerated airflow. this make use of all airflow characteristice in the wing root area. Radfael is the only aircraft of its generation to have seen its aerodynamic developed so far. The small LEX also helps to provide an extra lift at high AOA wti hthe advantage to combine a higher speed “Mach line” than th emain wing which have a leading edge o fabout 48* compared to 53 for Typhoon, making it more manoeuvrable. The mach ligne is determinned by the sweepangle of the wing amplanture, Rafale LEX does inprove both lift and Mach ligne.
http://img12.exs.cx/img12/4481/R-12.jpg
I believ it is curerently the most aerodynamically developed airframe in service. The aircraft have been flown past 90* AOA during testing and despite the best efforts of its test pilots, never out into a stall. Enuff’ said.
FonkI think they will buy Rafales.
There are several reasons for me to believe this:
First; Rafale wasn’t proposed to Greece at the time they took the options with Eurofighter. Dassault have been negociating the re-opening of a competition which may now involve both Rafale and F-35.
Second; The programme seems to be gaining momentum, when Eurofighter is strugling to get their partners to agree on the development of the next tranche, Lochkeed Martin is still re-designing the overweight STOVL version of F-35 when all Rafale standards are either developed or in develpoment.
Third; Thales have received the contracts allowing the complete development for F3 EASA version of Rafale, and the French gouvernement order is for F3 standards:
http://www.thalesgroup.com/press/press_releases/?index=33
http://www.thalesgroup.com/press/press_releases/?index=27
http://www.thalesgroup.com/press/press_releases/?index=1
[“The Rafale programme represents contracts worth 1 billion euros for Thales in 2004”
“For Thales, this contract adds to the three contracts already won since early 2004”]
Development of the Rafale F3 standard.
Development of a second demonstrator for the RBE2 Active Array.
Through-life support of all equipment.
The four contracts awarded to Thales since early 2004 total 1 billion euros.
More to the point, and also a key element of the French invilvemnt, HAI is an active member of the EUROMALE and Dassault designed UCAV programmes;
http://img46.exs.cx/img46/3227/NEURON-Dassault.jpg
http://img46.exs.cx/img46/9899/EADS-Dassault.jpg
http://img45.exs.cx/img45/6685/DronesDassault.jpg
http://img23.exs.cx/img23/9939/petitduc17uc.jpg
The all idea is to develop Rafale as an UCAVs leader, making it unique in the competition.
http://img42.exs.cx/img42/7552/R-10.jpg
As for the real capabilities of Rafale F2, have a look at this pic…
All of these events have had the full support of the French Defence minister who seems to get “on the ball” quiet rapidly.
I also heard of a so called Deutch competion where Typhoon was pited against Rafale and F-35. The Eurofighter aircraft appears to have been comprehensivly beaten… Wait and see.
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