The problem is, the book is published now. How can Ken be credited for his photos retrospectively?

The author in question could easily have contacted Ken, who no doubt would have been very pleased to let him use the pictures. In return he could have been sent a copy of the book, for instance. Simply using photos in a book, without permission, and without crediting the photographer, is just plain rude.

The author in question has no qualms about stealing whole sections of other people’s books and articles. As long as his books carry on selling, why should the publisher care?

Paul.

Also bear in mind that Rafale uses RADANT, a particular form of passive phased array that is cheaper to build and lighter than, say, the ferrite phase shifter arrays used in Zaslon or Bars. Indeed, the RADANT technology involves a fixed planar array type antenna at the back end with two arrays of (cheap) pin diode phase shifters forming 2 “lenses” that steer the beam in 2 axes. Quite different from the normal passive phased array design.

The Captor uses fast electric motors to steer its array. By not having two lenses in front of the array, the gain of the antenna overall is higher which translates to greater detection range, and lower sidelobes. Lower sidelobe levels makes a radar harder to jam. The requirements for Captor range, and sidelobe levels, were such that it would have been hard, if not impossible, to achieve with passive phased array technology. Even today, Phazotron’s passive phased array antennnas have a lower gain than their mechanicially scanned ones. So, Eurofighter did the sensible thing- stick with mechanically scanned antennas based on the excellent Blue Vixen radar, and research the next generation of active phased arrays which would allow both electronic scanning and also meet range and sidelobe requirements. Much like, oohh, I dunno, the US?

RB199 is better suited for the long range strike role, having a larger bypass ratio. EJ200 is optimised for air combat.

Dassault were technical consultants on Novi Avion. Hence the Rafale influence…

SAMs are ultimately a pointless weapons system. They are single task, assume you are on the defensive, and are absolutely useless in striking back at your enemy. If you buy planes to shoot down planes, you at least have the option of using those planes to haul bombs at the enemy once you’ve shot down the incoming hostiles.

Think for a moment how much money the USSR invested in SAM systems. Untold billions of roubles. How many more Su-27s could they have built for the cost of developing all those SAMs?

And of course the Soviet Union decided not to mention that the US had faked the Moon landings……

Really, people, 10 seconds rational thought is all it takes to realise that the moon landings were NOT faked. Jeeez….