Why did they opt for such a small nose diameter on the Rafale?

If I’m not mistaken part of the reason was Rafale’s carrier role and the need to provide a good forward field of view to the pilot in landing configuration. Hence the rather steep down angle on the nose.

Why would the cockpit display for a 5th gen Chinese fighter be in English?

They didn’t bother to translate the F-35 software ? :p

[QUOTE=merlin2;1673099]

You obviouly didn’t grasp what I was trying to say..Dassault as a company or group of companies might not be desperate because they can survive on business jets as you correctly pointed out..Dassault is desperate for RAFALE. .If they lose in Brazil than there is a good chance they could also lose in India and UAE(rumor has it is already the case) They face the ultimate danger of dwindling into oblivion as Europe’s one and only ‘fighter aircraft prime manufacturer..French Airforce can’t order 11 fighters every year for the next 20 years to keep the assembly line open…Besides 11 fighters a year would be extremely expensive..

Well, no. It’s the AdA and MN, and their political leaders (the government) who should be desperate. Dassault can live without the jet fighter business, but the jet fighter business is indeed a strategically important asset for France, and Europe. If Dassault throws the towel, it’s over for Europe as a continent able to build fighter aircraft autonomously and not as subcontractors for American companies. Yes, there’s the Eurofighter – but it’s a composite of capabilities, and its own future is bleak too out of budgetary constraints (and JSF competition). There’s Gripen too, but vital parts of it are American as well.
Anyway, 11 fighters a year wouldn’t be “incredibly expensive”, it’s barely a minimum effort. Especially when you compare the annual cost with the stupendous wastes occured elsewhere in the French budget… (yes AME I’m looking at you).

Such an unfortunate name…
The design looks FREMM-ish, but then I suppose those stealthy sloped sides allow for less variety in shape.

Increments 3.1 and 3.2 will greatly increase the F-22’s A/G prowess though, both in the number of targets that can be simultaneously engaged, but in the ability to target them on the fly.

Just for comparison’s sake, the F-35 Blk 3 will track 100 (Situational Awareness Tracks) targets (ground and air) and provide Weapon’s Quality Tracks for 16 A2G and 8 A2A simultaneously.

Source at Youtube 1:50 mark.

I see a lot of “will do”, but the real question is “when ?”
Or should we take into account every advance planned for the future (hat may or may not become real), or stick with today’s demonstrated capabilities ?

Aurcov, do you know there is a multiquote feature on this forum ?