HMS : depends on ongoing negociations. 😀

There is one thing i’m pretty sure of, now, it’s that Eurofighter communication departement read this forum, and probably only fora when they are looking for information about Rafale.

The problem is that they skip French’s messages, and thus, they get a totally distorded picture of the situation (they believe the source is a pilot’s blog).

http://blog.francetv.fr/capitaine-romain/index.php/2010/02/27/170326-le-dernier-post-de-johann

Capitaine Romain, while still denying the BVR encounters between F-22 and Rafale, gives an explanation about what A&C claimed about such engagements.

He says that usually, while he’s heading to a training area, or leaving it, with his Rafale, he trains at virtually shooting missiles at other military aircraft passing by. Thus, he acknowledge that as he would have done, F-22 might have secretly engaged Rafale out of the training area, without RoE, at moments when Rafale wouldn’t even expect any threat.

This would explain why Rafale had their radars turned “on” during those even more unfair combats.

But IMHO, the really interesting part of what Capitaine Romain wrote is how he secretly engage transiting aircraft : actually, Rafale CAN shoot passively at an other fighter provided the latter has his radar turned on.

(still lots of secret stuff there, and rafales AESA radar will only enter service this year if I’m not mistaken)

At best, it will enter production by the end of the year, but it’s planned for 2011. The radar will be ready for the aircraft in early 2012. But at this time, i guess AdA will test it thoroughly before it really become operational.

how their operational capabilities were asessed for the rafale to finish completely behind?

Since the 3 contenders met the requirements, the end ranking may be based on costs alone 😀

I don’t know what part the ToT took in the process, but it seems that Jobim still discard US on this ground.

I really doubt they are based on delivery schedule.

This brings to 1,424 the total number of AASM kits ordered to date to equip the Rafale combat aircraft operated by the French Air Force and Navy.

1424 – 680 = 744

I don’t know how many are IIR in the first 744…

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/112479/sagem-wins-french-order-for-aasm-bomb-kits.html

Order for 680 Kits for AASM Powered Aerial Bombs

(Source: French Ministry of Defence; issued Feb. 18, 2010)
(Issued in French; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)

In late December 2009, the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) awarded Sagem (Safran Group) a contract for the purchase of 680 Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) modification kits.

This brings to 1,424 the total number of AASM kits ordered to date to equip the Rafale combat aircraft operated by the French Air Force and Navy.

The AASM comprises a guidance kit and a range-extension kit that are attached to standard, free-fall bomb bodies. The weapon can be launched at a safe stand-off distance from the target (over 50 km), away from enemy air defenses, in all weathers and by day or night.

To fit all tactical situations the AASM exists in three versions: the first two versions, “inertial guidance/GPS,” and “inertial guidance/GPS and infrared imager for terminal guidance, are suitable for engaging stationary targets. They have already been qualified.

The third version, which combines inertial guidance, GPS and laser guidance, will allow engagement of moving targets; it is under development and will be delivered from 2012.

The 680 AASM kits ordered in December break down into 300 with inertial/GPS guidance, and 380 laser-guided versions.

In service since 2007 with the French Air Force, the inertial guidance / GPS version of the AASM has been used successfully on several occasions in Afghanistan.

France Orders 3,400 Sagem (Safran group) AASM Inertial / Laser-Guided AASM Air-To-Ground Weapons

(Source: Sagem; issued Feb. 18, 2010)

PARIS — French defense procurement agency DGA awarded Sagem (Safran group) a major contract in late December 2009 for AASM (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire) modular air-to-ground weapons to be deployed by the French air force.

The contract covers:
–A long-term order for 3,400 AASMs, including an initial firm order for 680 units.
–Development and integration of a latest-generation GPS module.
–Qualification and production engineering for the inertial/GPS/laser terminal guidance version.

Developed and produced by Sagem, the AASM weapon comprises a guidance kit and range augmentation kit integrated on a standard 250 kg bomb. The AASM family also includes 125, 500 and 1,000 kg bombs.

Fired from standoff distance by day or night and in all weather conditions, the AASM offers a range exceeding 50 kilometers. The AASM can be released at low altitude, and can also be fired off-axis, in relation to the aircraft’s flight path. It offers very high precision and strikes its target vertically, a feature suited to asymmetrical conflicts. This makes it the perfect weapon for combat in difficult terrain or urban environments, for both planned missions and opportunity fire.

The new inertial/GPS/laser-guided version expands the AASM family, which already includes two versions qualified on the Rafale multirole combat aircraft, with inertial/GPS or inertial/GPS/infrared guidance. In particular, the new version enables precision strikes against moving targets.

This latest order follows the initial contract won by Sagem for 750 AASMs to be delivered to the French air force. The AASM has been deployed on Rafale fighters in Afghanistan for the last two years.

The AASM is also marketed by MDBA as part of its broad offering of weapon system meeting the requirements of armed forces in international markets.

Sagem, a high-tech company in the Safran group, holds world or European leadership positions in optronics, avionics, electronics and safety-critical software for both civil and military markets. Sagem is the No. 1 company in Europe and No. 3 worldwide for inertial navigation systems (INS) used in air, land and naval applications. It is also the world leader in helicopter flight controls and the European leader in optronics and tactical UAV systems.

Operating across the globe through the Safran group, Sagem and its subsidiaries employ 6,700 people in Europe, Southeast Asia and North America. Sagem is the commercial name of the company Sagem Défense Sécurité.

Good to see this weapon will see a new variant !

On the other hand, according to the letter “Guerre élec”, in an article written by a AASM programme responsable, Jean-Vincent Legrand, at Sagem, a EM variant for SEAD/DEAD would be useless (too costly, single use, and prone to jamming).
The man explains that the INS/GPS, or even the INS/GPS/IIR should do the job well enough when coupled with the right RWR.
http://www.guerrelec.asso.fr/archives/lettre39.pdf
He explains two different scenarion :

Legrand reveals that the full duplex data link is also envisaged so as to reprogramme the weapon before it hits the target, and even to make the weapon able to send pictures to the shooting platform (IIR).

And for the first time, i read that the AASM can be shot rearward at any altitude.

The weapon is of a metric accuracy, even for the INS/GPS.

We also know that these were BVR engagements (so what would be the point of using only WVR mssiles ?), and that on the second encounter, Rafale were even more degraded.

Maybe nowhere, but maybe everywhere…Maybe the UAE starts an unreasonable request buildup to pull out of Rafale deal with its honor more or less intact, particularly because of happened in Al Dhafra and afterwards…or maybe not… 😉

Oh oh oh… So, you ‘know’ what happened, you know it’s not what AdA said, and you know that French ‘porkies’ are being truly counter-productive.

😉