To claim that “Rafale is a true 5th generation aircraft”

What do you think about “Typhoon is a true 5th generation aircraft” as once claimed by one of your beloved journalist ?

Talk about most of your own side first before you mention the Typhoon lot, Opit.

Are you joking ? Jacko always need Rafale in his demonstration. At best, he will mention “another type” he “will not give the name of”.

These sorts of things don’t make it invisible though do they? Just less obvious from distance to less sophisticated sensors?

Nothing is invisible.
But it is said that the engines do not increase the IR signature of the Rafale.

Still, good stuff. I assume this originated in the French strike requirement for the Rafale rather than to help it in A2A combat?

That’s what I think too. Nothing can help when flying high.

As to Scalp being complicated, is there any evidence that Stormshadow is complicated for the RAF? And what could Scalp operational complications mean?

The decisions were taken by UK and France altogether during a meeting (on February the 17th of 2012).
They need more flexibility. They should achieve this with software modifications :

TMor,

What on earth do you think the Indian politician was on about when he accused Rafale of having failed in precision bombing in Libya?

MY impression is that he had 250kg bombs in mind, though we have used concrete bombs so as to reduce collateral damages.
Remember that France has expressed interest in Brimstone, and even guided rockets, before, in Afghanistan.
This is all I think about, but I’m not sure.

There have been questions about diversions to Malta, availability, etc., but not, as far as I know, precision bombing, though I have taken my eye off the French ball recently.

AdlA reports 95 percent availability.

The majority of LGBs dropped by RAF aircraft during the Libyan op used GPS guidance (all or nearly all were dual mode weapons) or were said to have done so but I don’t think that France has any Enhanced PWs, does it?

SEM use it since 2008 (Afghanistan), and we have learnt recently that the Marine is integrating it on Rafale too. Trials are underway.
Mirage 2000D use it too.

There has been speculation that the apparently high proportion of GAINS guided attacks by Tornado/Typhoon actually camouflaged the use of friendly ground-based designation, is there a French perspective on that?

No idea.

The number of Scalps seems small compared to the RAF Tornado’s Storm Shadow tally – no criticism intended, it’s just an observation. Were they all from Rafale, or some from M2KD?

Rafale B : 10 Scalp
Rafale M : 4 Scalp
Mirage 2000D : 1 Scalp (2 planned, but only one worked).

If from Rafale, were all from the carrier based Rafales? Has there been a breakdown of weapons dropped just by Rafale, or better yet by AdlA and Aeronavale Rafales?

See above.

And what of the Mirage 2000Ds and Super Etendards? What weapons did they use?

Mirage 2000D : Scalp, GBU-49, at least (probably GBU-12) ;
SEM : GBU-49, GBU-12/22…

Are you blokes still using any indigenous SAMP LGBs?

I don’t know…

Hi Mildave. What do those articles tell us about the infrared emissions of the M88?

It all seems to be a bit vague. I’m no expert, but i do need it explaining…..

http://rafale.freeforums.org/dossier-rafale-the-engines-t33.html

But the M88-2 is also a discreet engine : it uses the latest technological breakthroughs so as to reduce its RCS and mostly its IR signature. In most situation, the M88-2 doesn’t even compromise the IR signature of the Rafale !

Just like all my articles, sources are Air Fan/Air&Cosmos/Air-Actu, and other public documents.

and Rafale has no truly unique capabilities.

Do you feel better, now ?

I mean : once again, your intervention provide nothing new, you’re only trying to repeat what Scorpion already added without mistake, but you wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to repel any hint of pride on the Rafale side…

So, Rafale has no unique capability… and next time, do me a favor, go tell the same kind of “it’s not so great” to Typhoon fans. Thanks.

Talk about hypocrisy. :rolleyes:

I really feel sorry for you that JOUST can’t be as neutral, balanced, realistic and up-to-date as the Swiss evaluation. But please, don’t call Kovy “hypocrit” just because you’re disappointed.

By the way, it’s a Rafale news thread.