Btw, i see a small company has been contracted to put infrasonic detectors in program Rafale. Anyidea what they could be used for?

Welcome to the world of DEW (on a similar mode than laser pointer prevention). bUt could be also some sort of passive com.

Not yet, it’s now 6 to 22 h every day, since January 1st this year. Full 24/7 QRA will be available at the end of 2020:
https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/…-id-73559.html

Payerne residents are not amused. :sleeping:

This duo of GE404 is among the most noisy engine pack mounted on any 4th gen aircraft IMO. I don’t claim my eardrum to have any form of scientific probing quality, but this feeling is generally shared among others.
Probably that this point could be a valid issue during the discussions.

[USER=”77048″]St. John[/USER] (and Mags76) : as you are speaking of Doomsday, it remind me this*:
https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/culture…mique/43246590

Switzerland is not only about tax evasion, knifes, watches and cheese. They are a real people with hard fought borders and their own unique inspirational vision. They have borders, airspace and their own choice of coalition. They want fighter jets and are ready to pay for as much as any French Gilet Jaunes, any Brit Brexiter or any MAGA Iowa fan.

«Fidèle à nos traditions séculaires en matière de défense, le Conseil fédéral est par conséquent d’avis que l’armée doit recevoir les moyens les plus efficaces pour lui permettre de maintenir notre indépendance et de protéger notre neutralité. Les armes atomiques font partie de ces moyens».

Déclaration (Lien externe) du Conseil fédéral suisse, 1958
——————————————–

“In keeping with our age-old defense traditions, the Federal Council is therefore of the view that the military must be given the most effective means to maintain our independence and protect our neutrality. Atomic weapons are among those means. “

Declaration of the Swiss Federal Council, 1958

*feel free to use any online translator if needed

However, because the public thinks the F-35 is super expensive, politicians might shy away from selecting the JSF

The recent order from Belgium should help any F-35 enthusiast in Switzerland to push their case forward.

Swiss get five offers to replace aging jet fighter fleet: “the phase of analysis and testing starts”

It will now consider Airbus’s Eurofighter, Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault’s Rafale, F-35As made by Lockheed-Martin and Saab’s Gripen E.

“The phase of analysis and testing starts,” the Swiss Defence Department said. “From February to March 2019, specialists from (Swiss defense procurement agency) armasuisse and the Swiss Air Force will test the aircraft in simulators” at facilities of the planes’ manufacturers.

Between April and July, the planes will be in Switzerland for aerial and ground tests, with public viewing opportunities. Assessments will continue through 2020 before a decision is made.
[…]
Switzerland wants new planes to be delivered by 2025.

Depending on how many airframe the Swiss want, it’s could be too short for Dassault to offer their Rafale in the F4 standard unless they drastically increased their production rate in 2024/2025 (same old problem) .

Source:
Reuters

Such role was covered specifically by swing-wing planes like F-111, Su-24 and Tornado. Supersonic flight at low altitudes is especially hard due the to massive drag to overcome.

4 October 1977 – F-104RB – Red Baron – Darryl Greenamyer – World absolute low altitude speed record of 988.26 mph (1.590.5kmh)

With his own build hybrid F-104 Starfighter powered by a former US NAVY Phantom J-79 engine, Darryl managed to reach an official world absolute low altitude speed record of 988.26 mph (1,606km/h) at Mud Lake near Tonopah, Nevada.

But obviously man can arg that the Starfirghter didn’t really had a set of wings 😉

Source:
http://www.i-f-s.nl/f-104-records/

Isn’t it time to set a new thread for the beast?