You know, come to think of it- if Spectra is designed or manufactured in the US, then that may explain why they are looking at doing active cancellation as a separate subsystem in their F4+ stealth demonstrator. The active cancellation technology was researched in France by MBDA, but I thought it was Thales doing the work on the demonstrator. :confused:

you have a short memory, i gave you the link to thales usa and spectra

It seems I was wrong about Spectra. I apologize. However, the RBE-2 AESA is indeed French.

This could be, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t have it in the very near future if this were the case. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Since we were on the topic of the RBE2 and AESA radars in general, I wanted to post something I found though it is not directly related to this thread. I didn’t want to create a new thread just for this one post though. If a mod thinks it is more appropriate elsewhere, please move it.

Anyways, we were making comparisons between American and European AESA technology. The very newest American T/R modules are “tile” type surface mounted single MMIC devices. This contrasts with foreign “brick” type T/R’s, which were used on older American AESA’s. As of November 2009, European tile type T/R’s have been developed, fabricated, and tested. Perhaps these will feature on future European AESA radars on the Eurocanards?

http://www.eda.europa.eu/newsitem.aspx?id=565

you’re not really going to say that the rbe2 is multi beam, are you ?

From Janes Avionics 2005:

?It was reported that the original RBE2 AESA demonstrator was built using US-made Transmit/Receive (T/R) modules, whereas the new contract is intended to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of equipping Rafale with an AESA based on European technology. It also covers risk assessment associated with radar integration and in-flight operational testing. The new AESA variant of the RBE2 is intended to enter service with the French Air Force in 2012 as part of the next-generation F4 configuration?

Well, that was informative! So the short version is this. France has figured out that they need an AESA to be competitive. They are capable so long as the US is willing to give them the pieces, but they haven?t yet been able to do it on their own. The demonstrator they were flying and claiming was evidence of their technical mastery of AESA technology was only possible because they borrowed that technical mastery from the US. I find that amusing anyways? So France plans to have an AESA DEMONSTRATOR around 2008 and if all goes well (which it always does) they HOPE to have it operational in actual planes in 2012) Of course by ?operational? I don?t mean in the US sense of the word.

The French aren?t even shooting for that level of capability. The incomparable electronic warfare functions of the AESA aren?t even going to be developed by the French at the present time. Some of the really cool multi beam and frequency hopping modes aren?t going to be there either. They are playing catch-up all the way here.

The AESA demonstrator flown in 2006 used US T/R modules from Raytheon. However, the AESA radars currently in serial production from Thales for the Rafale use T/R’s from Thales with UMS MMIC chips. The first production radar (meaning ready to be put on an operational aircraft for real-life use) rolled off the assembly line this month.

The bottom line is that the RBE-2 AESA is in production and ready for use, but the AdA will not put it into operation until 2012. These are not prototypes of any sort AFAIK. These are the actual finished product with a French backend and European T/R modules (UMS is a joint venture between Thales and EADS).

As for what specific modes are and are not available, I think the internal technical info is only available to Thales and the various governments who are purchasing the Rafale. We really don’t know without access to internal documents. Frequency hopping is standard in modern radars, however, and I doubt that the RBE2 is any different. I don’t think beamforming with more than 1 beam is particularly difficult either and I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest to see such modes on the RBE-2.

The source you cited in the post above is five years old. Also, did you really cite a thread of “30 odd pages of slapping french fanboys” on strategypage as a source for anything? Isn’t Strategy Page considered garbage by any serious aviation enthusiast? I mean it’s site intended for strategy gamers and it shows. I mean, what are you getting at?

Gotta love marketing speak, eh?

Well, it sounds like they are down to the Rafale and EF. The EF might not be 100% compliant because of the lack of immediately available AESA.

The Rafale has this though. I am wondering how the Rafale is not entirely compliant. It doesn’t quite have the pants-soiling TWR of the EF and supercruise may be somewhat marginal, but I believe it is still ahead of the rest of the competition in many ways.

In any event, both the Rafale and Eurofighter should be available with AESA antennas in the time frame the IAF is looking to acquire the aircraft. Also, selection of the EF and Rafale as the only shortlisted aircraft does kinda support the rumor that the MMRCA program was having some cost hiccups. Fortunately the Euro has fallen a bit and this may allow revised bids that are cheaper. I suppose they are both hands down the most lethal aircraft in air to air combat performance out of the MMRCA contenders, and I think that India will get quite a good aircraft in either situation.