The RAFALE Omnirole Fighter: Pushing Forward on New Air-to-Air Capabilities

[SpArK]

The RAFALE Omnirole Fighter: Pushing Forward on New Air-to-Air Capabilities​

by Dassault Aviation Tuesday, 16 October 2012

In October 2012, the RAFALE omnirole fighter reached two major milestones: the first delivery of a production aircraft equipped with the first production RBE2 AESA radar, and the initial successful testing of the new-generation, very long-range, METEOR air-to-air missile.


Pushing forward on new air-to-air capabilities, the Rafale B301, operating from Cazaux DGA Flight Test Center in southwestern France, successfully completed, on October 4 then on October 10, two successful tests of the beyond visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) Meteor.


On December 22, 2010, the French defense procurement agency (DGA: Direction Générale de l’Armement) ordered 200 Meteor missiles. A week after, the contract for integration of the Meteor missile to the Rafale system was awarded to the industry.


This advanced, ramjet-powered, missile, made by MBDA, is intended for air defense missions. It will intercept targets at very long range, and it will be a perfect complement to the MICA missile, which is currently used at shorter ranges for air-to-air interception, dogfight and self-defense.
On October 2, 2012, the first production Rafale F3 (the single-seater C137), equipped with the first production Thales RBE2 AESA 1 radar, was delivered to the French DGA, paving the way for the introduction into operational service of the first European combat aircraft fully exploiting the cutting edge AESA radar technology.



Extended range capabilities offered to the Rafale by the RBE2 AESA radar (among a number of other key operational benefits) allow the full use of the latest generation of long-range air-to-air missiles such as the Meteor.


The Rafale is already an extremely effective new-generation, combat proven (Afghanistan, Libya), omnirole tactical fighter, but development is continuing apace to exploit more and more of the aircraft’s tremendous capabilities, and to seamlessly add new ones. As a result, the Rafale looks set to become even better in the near future.


The RAFALE Omnirole Fighter: Pushing Forward on New Air-to-Air Capabilities

 

[SpArK]

Picture of the week: The Rafale has completed this month two successful tests of the beyond visual-range missile Meteor

The integration program under the Meteor missile Rafale has taken a step further with the first separation tests, conducted using the two-seater B301 development.

Two trials were held on 4 and 10 October. In each case, a model of instrumented Meteor was successfully ejected from the point of carrying side rear fuselage, demonstrating the good comportemement aerodynamic ammunition.

The integration program to be completed in 2018. At this time begin deliveries of the 200 missiles ordered by Paris. The configuration used for the French Rafale limit the maximum number of Meteor carried two copies, but there are no restrictions under the wing integration.

All French Rafale will eventually be able to implement the Meteor, including aircraft equipped with radar-PESA RBE2 passive electronic scanning.



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[Yogi]

@spark
If u can provide some technical details about the new ASEA radar, it will be highly appreciated....

 

[SpArK]

@spark
If u can provide some technical details about the new ASEA radar, it will be highly appreciated....

 

[arp2041]

AESA Ready, Rafale Tests Meteor BVRAAM


On October 4 and 10, a Dassault Rafale (tail number B301), successfully tested two MBDA Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles. The aircraft was operating from the Cazaux DGA Flight Test Center in South-Western France.

"In October 2012, the RAFALE omnirole fighter reached tw o majormilestones: the first delivery of a production aircraft equipped with the first production RBE2 AESA radar, and the initial successful testing of the new-generation, very long-range, METEOR air-to-air missile," a spokesperson for the company said.

The IAF leadership has also showered praise on the Rafale recently. In an interview to Air Marshal Vinod Bhatia of SP's Aviation magazine, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne has said, "The Rafale is a combat-proven fourth generation+ swing role aircraft equipped with high technology sensors and electronic warfare (EW) suite, including a state-of-the-art AESA radar. The robust system architecture capable of data fusion, along with an outstanding weapon carrying capability gives the Rafale true versatility to undertake a wide range of operational missions. The combat capabilities of the Rafale were adequately proven in the recent air operations in Libya. The induction of Rafale in the IAF along with associated weaponry will indeed prove to be a game-changer in the IAF's combat capability."

Livefist: AESA Ready, Rafale Tests Meteor BVRAAM

 

[Mosamania]

I like the Rafale and all but sadly it is the European (Jack of all Trades, master of none). It will get you far enough in some missions and will get you just enough in others but it simply can't hold a candle to the Typhoon in the Air-Air front. Also it can't hold a candle to the F-15Es in the Air-Ground front.

Then again it comes down to what is each Air Forces' needs, some can't afford a mix of specialized planes and might have to stick with the likes of the Rafales and F-16s.

Even then a little bit of specialized Aircrafts will take you a long way in capabilities and an example of that is Israel holding its 25 F-15Es as its most prized Air asset despite its large fleet of F-16s.

 

[Agnostic_Indian]

I like the Rafale and all but sadly it is the European (Jack of all Trades, master of none). It will get you far enough in some missions and will get you just enough in others but it simply can't hold a candle to the Typhoon in the Air-Air front. Also it can't hold a candle to the F-15Es in the Air-Ground front.

Then again it comes down to what is each Air Forces' needs, some can't afford a mix of specialized planes and might have to stick with the likes of the Rafales and F-16s.

Even then a little bit of specialized Aircrafts will take you a long way in capabilities and an example of that is Israel holding its 25 F-15Es as its most prized Air asset despite its large fleet of F-16s.

But that exactly India wanted.." multi role " . Now a days every fighter is designed with multi role capability with some priorities towards some role primarily needed by the developer. silent eagle also is a multi role fighter , I would like to know on what aspects the rafale lags behind against them in air to ground role. I guess on air to air typhoon got a agile air frame, bigger radar, any thing else ?

 

[Desi Guy]

I like the Rafale and all but sadly it is the European (Jack of all Trades, master of none). It will get you far enough in some missions and will get you just enough in others but it simply can't hold a candle to the Typhoon in the Air-Air front.

LMAO where did you get this from ??

look at this :Eurofighter vs Rafale

http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-forum/158715-swiss-fighter-plane-evaluation-report-leaked-public.html

 

[Nishan_101]

These are the few reasons why Taiwan is interested in getting rafaels or EF-2000 to replace their Mirage-2000s which most of us think will be sold to IAFundecided, but no official news about it.