has the French ever thought of putting the RDY-2 back in the Rafale’s nose until the AESA is available? I mean the RDY-2 is already better developed and the Miragi can do more things with it. The Bratish, Italins, Spaniards, and Deutsch doing that with the Typhoon.. putting a super Sea Harrier radar in it until AESA comes out

No, for a simple reason.
The EF2000 was supposed to be a pure interceptor, so the radar must have the best range as possible.
The Rafale was supposed to be multi role since the beginning so an electronic radar, even a passive one with a “pretty limited” range was the only choice.
I think that the link 16 and a lower RCS was supposed to reduced that hindrance in french mind.

What do we know about the IRST system on the Rafale?

Wel, looks pretty similar to the EF2000 IRST at first glance.

examples.. Taiwan buys M2K but rumors are that the French allowed the Chinese to check out their M2Ks and under pressure, probably will not sell any more to them.

Yep, France allowed China to take a look at their state of te art military technologies, right, no doubt about it, you only have to ask.

Seriously, I head the same think about the LaFayette frigates.

Well, the cost of maintenance is still way higher that what Dassault and the Ada thought.

Would it had worth it ?

It’s obvious that the hornet would have been a fantastic plane for the french navy in comparison of the crusader but:

1) History has shown that Super Etendards have been good enough
2) From a technical point of view, I’m not sure if we can have use the hornet at 100% because of our “little” carriers.
3) From a political-industrial point of view, that would have been a “bad news” I think. On the other hand, the naval requiremens was the main problem which prevent Dassault to work properly in the eurofighter program so with the hornet in the navy, perhaps a french-british-german-spanish-Italian fighter would have been possible.

One think is sure, the french navy was impressed by the hornet.
http://frenchnavy.free.fr/aircraft/hornet/hornet.htm

All the Rafale and Sukhoi fanboys have to admit that the F-15 option is the lowest risk and highest returns out of the candidates.

But higher risk with you must use the stick 😀

No, that’s dirty business .. unless Al Capone must be seen as a business man of course.

can anyone tell me whats the spec data for the f-15t us is offering to singapore?:confused: n whats the meaning of the T?

Spec ? Well, it’s a copy of the F-15K full options IIRC.

Well it’s been another six months since I last asked this, and got no firm reply:

What is the current status of the Rafale programme?

The new Air Fan has lots of infos about it.
As soons as I’ve got it, you’ll have your answers.
Anyway, the first F2 is posponed to September but the target is still 4 (or 5 ??) rafale F2 for 2004.