Mildave,

You’re using big approximation. Thales is a huge group, and this means that by saying “Thales produce the Pirate” you’re just ignoring who exactly is making it.

MBDA produce the Mica. And the Meteor. And the Alarm, etc. Would you say that the British firm that developped the Alarm is responsible for the Mica ?

You’re ignoring the story behing the name.

Some people always want to question the validity of the “combat proven” sticker for Rafale, because there was no air-threat in Afghanistan, or no SAM there too.
But still, since 2007, Rafale is supporting ground forces with GBU-12/22 and AASM, and contribute in a war effort.

So yes, it was declared “combat proven” very soon, mainly because it costed it so much against the old dinosaurs F-15s and F-16s, and more recently the Super Bug…

Now Rafale has made the same in a war where USA used cruise missiles extensively, and people are questioning the “combat proven” sticker because Rafale only faced “soviet era” missiles…

My guess is that people “in the know” (including prospects) have a much clearer picture of the capabilities since Rafale was deployed in Aghanistan, and even more since Lybia.

No… Or… not yet ! 😀

The first prototype(s) and the derivatives exhibition models had about this number of modules.
Prototype picture in 2005 : http://forum.keypublishing.com/showpost.php?p=684700&postcount=6

That’s interesting, because it’s exactly the same radar as seen more recently.

So it’s even older than the DRAAMA…

No it wasnt, actually DJcross made a huge blunder out his interpretation of the image, whatever DJCross his, he´s not a photographer.

http://www.thalesgroup.com/Press_Releases/Markets/Defence/2011/20110209_-_Thales_AESA_RBE2_radar_validated_on_Rafale/

Photo credit : Eric Raz © Thales – 2008 Photomontage Regards / Erwan Barbey-Chariou – Federico Sendra

Similar information were in the EXIF data of the following pic :

@ Bluewings :

TMor , if you think what all we know about Spectra is on your site , you are mistaking .

I’m not mistaking.
I don’t think “all we know about Spectra is on my site”. My point on this website is to publish mainly authority information we can rely on (whoever we are), or as much as possible different PoV about some events (a matter of objectivity).

I once wanted it to be some kind of support for the “Rafale culture”, something non-French people aren’t accustomed to because they miss a lot of things in French “literature”. But the Kovy’s blog ( http://rafalenews.blogspot.com ) is better at this.

I don’t want people to believe that Rafale is better than Y. I just would like people know enough about Rafale to talk about it in a dispassionate manner, with more respect than usual.
I don’t claim I’m good enough at it alone, and some help would be welcome.

I don’t blame you for discussing about technology, but for the methodology :

Who ‘s behind Praetorian and Spectra ?

This is another example : you systematically talk about both, and thus, compare both…
Why ?

Thanks TMor, damn it next I look there first:o

No problem. It’s not a perfect source. 😀

But the forum was an easy way to classify information in different appropriate sections.

We should stick to news about the MMRCA…