Dassault Rafale, tender | News & Discussions

[SpArK]

JAS 39 intercept Lithuanian C-27 in first ever NATO-Sweden Baltic Air Policing handover training​

 

[localoca]

for the last few weeks , the voices has slowed down..


has india selected MIG-35 ?

I think the idea of TOT will blind the Indians into buying yet another Russian second tier Tech air plane...just so they can call it Mig-35 Mki...

 

[angeldemon_007]

I think the idea of TOT will blind the Indians into buying yet another Russian second tier Tech air plane...just so they can call it Mig-35 Mki...

Well atleast its better than the 3rd tier that you use.

 

[localoca]

Well atleast its better than the 3rd tier that you use.

... the J-11B its at the very least on par with the MKi...

 

[perplexed]

Well atleast its better than the 3rd tier that you use.

stop taking potshots dude. Its okay. You need not reply always. This will at least keep the forum half clean.

 

[tanlixiang28776]

... the J-11B its at the very least on par with the MKi...

Its not our business. Let them do whatever they want

 

[sancho]

JAS 39 intercept Lithuanian C-27 in first ever NATO-Sweden Baltic Air Policing handover training​

If air policing is the aim, why does it fly with a targeting pod?

 

[SpArK]

If air policing is the aim, why does it fly with a targeting pod?

defence.professionals | defpro.com

According to the scenario, transport aircraft of the Lithuanian Air Force C-27 “Spartan” will simulate loss of communication over the Baltic Sea

Baltic States will host training event of NATO and Swedish air assets | GlobalPost

DVIDS - News - NATO and Swedish jets cooperate to enhance safety above the Baltic Sea

 

[dbc]

The fact that Rafale was used to enter their airspace before CM strikes and without dedicated EW aircrafts like the F18 Growlers, showes the capability of SPECTRA and that the French forces are more than confident about it. The opponent fighters might not be an issue and they have no AWACS either, but the ground radars and SAMs are a threat for any fighter, that's why the US deployed the Growlers and F16 CJs, or UK used their Tornados, to have capable protection in SEAD, although they are using anti radiation missiles from longer range.
In terms of RCS you also have to keep in mind, that the Rafales so far were deployed from bases in France, that's why they had to carry so many fuel tanks, which obviously increased the RCS.

I strongly recommend a spell checker and while you're at it check your facts. The strike that repelled a Libyan armored column advance into Benghazi on Day one involved fifteen jets from USAF, US Marines(Harrier), USN (Growler) in addition to French and British assets.

See below excerpts from transcripts of Joint Staff Vice Admiral Bill Gortney's press conference on Day 1. The attack that the press mistakenly attributed to the French actually involved forces from nearly all coalition countries.

Shown here is a representation of coalition strikes against Gadhafi’s ground maneuver forces about 10 miles south of Benghazi. Fifteen U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps aircraft participated in these attacks, as well as aircraft from France and Great Britain. They were backed up by U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers providing electronic warfare support.

Full battle reports from these strikes are still coming in, but we judge these also to have been quite successful at the halting regime’s ground movement in this region. The highlighted box are some still shots from the Harrier’s weapons systems video.

Benghazi is not completely safe from attack, but it is certainly under less threat than it was yesterday. We believe his forces are under significant stress and suffering from both isolation and a good deal of confusion.

Defense.gov News Transcript: DOD News Briefing by Vice Adm. Gortney on Operation Odyssey Dawn

 

[sancho]

I strongly recommend a spell checker and while you're at it check your facts. The strike that repelled a Libyan armored column advance into Benghazi on Day one involved fifteen jets from USAF, US Marines(Harrier), USN (Growler) in addition to French and British assets.

That was the CAS for the rebels in Benghazi, but French fighters did CAP, recon and strike missions before that and without the support of the Growlers:

...10:50 a.m.: French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke to the press from Paris just before 11 a.m. EST. He confirmed that there would be U.N.-mandated military action to implement a no-fly zone over Libya in response to the violence and broken cease-fire in the country.

Sarkozy said that all participants in Saturday's Paris summit, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British Prime Minister David Cameron, an African Union representative, a European Union representative and Arab leaders, endorsed the plan.

French state officials have confirmed the presence of French fighter jets flying over Libya, and Sarkozy said it is "our duty to respond to [the Libyan peoples'] anguished appeal....in the name of the universal conscience."...

Developing: UN implements no-fly zone over Libya, French aircraft confirmed | The Raw Story

Details on the Rafale mission over Libya

...11h00 AM 4 Rafale C (Provence squadron) armed with mica missiles left the Saint Dizier Air base to enforce the No Flight Zone over Libya (UN resolution 1973)

11h10 AM A patrol of 2 more Rafale B with a Reco-NG pod left the Dizier Air base for a recce mission over Libya.

02h30 PM 2 mirage 2000D (Ardennes squadron / Nancy Air Base) escorted by 2 mirage 2000-5 (Cigognes squadron / Dijon Air Base) as well as 2 Rafale with AASM bombs rejoin Libya for CAS operations

Rafale News: Details on the Rafale mission over Libya


So the joined CAS mission with US fighters were later that day!
The first US aircraft over Libyan airspace were B2 bombers, that followed the Tomahawk strikes. The first strikes of British Tornados were made with Storm Shadow cruise missiles, from distance and some sources say French fighters did the same with the similar Scalp missiles as well, but I didn't see such a config yet.

However, any news what caused the F15 crash? The pilots are safe right?

 

[sancho]

Arms dealer for French firm barred

NEW DELHI: In a new twist to the ongoing competition for the country's biggest defence contract worth over Rs 45,000 crore, the Indian Air Force has blacklisted the country manager of one of the contenders for the contract.

Officials in the Air Force and the Ministry of Defence have both claimed that the move would not scuttle the $10 billion contract for the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft).

The move to blacklist P V Rao, country manager of Dassault Aviation, is being linked to a bribery scandal in Bangalore during the recently concluded Aero India exhibition. Interestingly, it was Rao who blew the whistle on Wing Commander A K Thakur demanding Rs 20,000 from Rao for giving Rafale, his company's fighter jet that's competing in the MMRCA contract, a vantage parking slot at the Yelahanka airbase during the exhibition. Thakur was caught by a senior MoD official while accepting bribe.

The IAF last week notified both the MoD and the French embassy about its decision to declare Rao persona non grata. The decision would mean that Rao would not be able to participate in any further meetings. Rao also won't be able to enter the air headquarters in New Delhi.

Dassault's Rafale and EADS' Eurofighter are believed to be the two front-runners in the technical evaluation of the MMRCA contract, which is probably the world's biggest open tender defence contract now. The air force is holding a court of inquiry in Bangalore, in the wake of Rao's whistle-blower operation which netted the air force officer. But the air force has its own doubts about the episode.

The air force is irked by the fact that Rao kept it in the dark about its officer asking for bribe and instead got a senior IAS officer to expose the corruption. A senior officer claimed Rao deliberately didn't follow known procedures, which was to inform IAF senior officers. It's also possible that IAF establishment didn't inspire Rao's confidence.

When contacted, a Dassault representative refused to discuss the matter. This is the third instance where wrongdoings have been detected in the MMRCA contract process.

Arms dealer for French firm barred - The Times of India


Same issue but reported by livefist:

French Govt Firefights Blacklist Of Dassault Exec

The French Embassy in Delhi and Dassault Aviation's office in Paris are working to firefight a nightmarish development (reported in the Times of India today, see previous post) in which Dassault's face in India, Posina V Rao has reportedly been blacklisted by the Indian Air Force.

I did a little poking around with my sources in the MoD and here's what's turned up. Mr Rao raised a formal complaint during or shortly after the Aero India 2011 show with Satyajeet Rajan, joint secretary in charge of exports at the MoD's department of defence production, the nodal agency overseeing the air show. When the complaint was processed onward to the IAF, a response came back suggesting that the impropriety of the accused IAF officer -- Wg Cdr AK Thakur -- should have been flagged to IAF authorities at the show, and not to the MoD. Interestingly, the MoD doesn't appear to have taken any formal view on the Dassault executive, nor is it commenting on the IAF's decision....

Livefist: French Govt Firefights Blacklist Of Dassault Exec


It seems like IAF feels embarrassed that this came out and they couldn't do anything against it, so now they let the whistle blower feel it too. MoD on the other side seems to be happy with Mr. Rao's behavior, that's why there is no official action from their side against him, let alone Dassault.

 

[jha]

 

[sancho]

Eurofighter news:

No Eurofighter sale talks with Indonesia: Britain

JAKARTA, March 23, 2011 (AFP) - Britain on Wednesday denied reports that it was in talks with Indonesia about selling the country Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
The Times newspaper earlier this month reported that Jakarta had informally approached Britain over the potential acquisition of up to 24 warplanes, worth around 5 billion pounds ($8.1 billion dollars) in total.
The previous Labour government banned defence exports to Indonesia in 1999 amid claims it had used British-made Hawk aircraft to bomb civilians in East Timor.
“There is no discussion at the moment with Indonesia about the Typhoon,” minister for international security strategy Gerald Howarth told AFP at the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue summit.
But he he did not rule out the possibility of forging future defence deals with Indonesia.
“I should be exploring any specific interest that the Indonesians may have,” he said at the three day meeting, which opened Wednesday.
Human rights group Amnesty International accuses Indonesia of rights violations including police torture and restrictions on the media.
Eurofighters were grounded in several countries last year due to problems with ejector seats after a crash killed a Saudi pilot.

No Eurofighter sale talks with Indonesia: Britain


A report about the first EF sorties over Libya (CAP with 2 x fuel tanks, 4 x AIM 120 and 4 x ASRAAM):

Third night of airstrikes on Libya as RAF Typhoons go into action | British Forces News

 

[GORKHALI]

 

[jha]