I see how finding surplus F18C/D might be an issue, but surely there are F18A/B+ available no?

Or else negociate something with Malaysia to get back their D Hornets, so they cut 1 type and replace their Mig 29s and Hornets with just 1 type.

Or else buy Mig 29K

Nic

I think they should refit saopolo to make it more easy to maintain and operate and buy a squadron or two of F18C/D.

That would be the most cost effective solution.

Nic

But do you really need the datalink that much with the excellent optical sensors of the Rafale?

I think it was the US pilot who said after the Red Flag exercise that the Indian Bison(?) were very hard to deal with; A combination of low RCS and highly efficient EWS made them “invisible” for the F15 and F16, until the merge…

It seems that the Rafale EWS at the time was not as efficient as the Israeli-made EWS on the Bison, or perhaps the Greek F16 had much better ECCM than the American F16? Or is the Rafale RCS not as low as claimed…

It is also interesting to note that Norwegian F16 have had a hard time to find the Swedish Gripen (when the Gripen don’t want to be found…) My personal hypothesis is that this again is due to a combination of low RCS and careful “jamming”, similar to the tricks used by the Bison.

It’s said in the article that Spectra (which was not up to full spec on F2 rafales) was in training mode and in “mild jamming”. And I think I understand that the “jamming” was detected by the Blck52 ECCM? But I could be wrong I have no idea how these things work.

Nic

Gripen is probably easier to integrate a variety of weapons on, e.g. Brazilian/South African missiles.

Why?

With source codes I don’t see why there would be any difficulty integrating A-Darter and possibly R-Darter.

I’d like the A-Darter to be integrated with Rafale, which would provide a cheaper (than Mica-IR) alternative to self defense missiles for potential customers.

Nic

I mentioned first and foremost, “as useful in A2A as well as A2G”, the aircraft (Rafale) is multi-mission, thus A2A informations from a nEUROn (Through the satelite, in geostationary orbite) would be useful in this role as well, i can’t anticipate nEUROn configurations and roles though.

With all the IR/Optoric technologies developed under DGA contracts i would imagine that IF there is an Operational follow-up to nEUROn it will be fully passive and extremly discreet.

This would be a source of datas available by all platforms anyway, also every two seaters equiped with a Moustique-like cockpit could control nEUROn flights or exchange information with them like all other platform.

And about the weight in question:

Source: The source. (Sorry no links here).

I find it odd that the empty weight would count autodefense missiles. But in the unlikely event that it would be true, how many missiles would that be? Just the wing tip missiles?

Nic

2020/25 1st day of war aircrafts:

Rafale 4 Meteor/4 Mica EM/IR for air cover
Rafale with 6 250lbs AASM/ER + 2 Meteor+4 Mica for SEAD/DEAD
Rafale with 2XScalp EG + 2 Meteor + 4 Mica for long range penetration
S3 Viking for air refueling.
S3 Viking for advanced UCAV control/comms relay
Taranis/Neuron with 1000lbs AASM to open the way.

Nic

What can a Viking do that an NH-90/EH-101 couldn’t do? :confused: The Viking is an old weapons system by now compared to the NH-90/EH-101, and today’s ASW helicopters have improved a lot in terms of speed/range/payload so they can cover a much larger perimeter around a carrier, and they can refuel on escorts.

Fixed wing ASW on a carrier takes too much space (at least 2x an ASW helo’s deck spot factor) and will disrupt strike/air defense sorties, which are the carrier’s primary role. And they can’t use dipping sonar, so how good really are they going to be against SSKs?

The Vikings would not be used for ASW duties, but as support planes for the air wing. Air to air refueling mainly.

Nic

I like that idea. Dirt cheap (the USA has been offering them virtually free, as long as you pay for a support contract), with loads of airframe hours left, & huge spares stocks available. Buy the lot, & all the spares, paying enough to not have to sign the support contract. Insist on none of the standard US restrictions on resale, control over customisation, etc. We own them absolutely. Given their age, that should be agreed to. With cannibalisation, we should be able to keep enough of them operational for a few decades, upgrading avionics as needed.

Yeah I would primarily use them as comms relays/tankers. They could even be used as U(C)AV controlers. And would spare the stress on aiframes of all the take off and traps to perfectly good Rafales for the real war fighting mission that they were designed to do in the first place, while enhancing the capaciliites of the CAG.

I submit they could even carry a bomb load for low intensity conflict like Afghanistan with excellent endurance.

Nic