If Japan wants a stopgap between F15 and F35, then it will require a fighter in a short time frame, and thus I think a Rafale with AESA + 90KN engines would be quite competitive in AtoA against the Eurofighter and available very soon. The advantages of AESA and better combat persistence (range, time on station) can’t be discounted for a country with the geography of Japan, and the extra power would level the performance field to a certain extent.
I don’t think the AESA captor or whatever they call it would be available soon enough, as I understand the needs of the japanese are quite urgent. On the other hand a Rafale with 90KN engines and RBE2 AESA is available in a year or so. What would you prefer ? A captor equipped EF or a RBE2 AESA / 90KN engined Rafale for AtoA?
The point remains about integration of AMRAAM and AIM9X though. But then again meteor could be offered to replace the next generation of AMRAAM that the japanese don’t already own, and Mica IR is a formidable self protection weapon. And it’s not like the japanese purchased extra AMRAAMS to equip their next fighter anyway.
It’s all a moot point though, as I think the deal is politically totally unfeasible. It will be either an american jet or the EF.
Nic
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