Dassault Rafale, tender | News & Discussions

[Storm Force]

OH MY GOD WHAT BEAUTIFUL SIGHT

 

[Abingdonboy]

 

[Abingdonboy]

 

[sancho]

Crossposting from the MP forum, big report about Rafale in the Air International magazin (credits to Olybrius):

F3R upgrade:
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9755/rfa2.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5486/f3r1.jpg


Future upgrade potential:
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6618/lfa1.jpg
http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/8150/lfa2.jpg


M88 engine:
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6019/m88v.jpg


Aesa & FSO:
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8985/asra3.jpg


Spectra:
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/2393/asra5.jpg
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1888/asra6.jpg


Sensor fusion:
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1264/asra8.jpg


HMS:
http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/9130/hmsn.jpg
http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/8150/lfa2.jpg

 

[DANGER-ZONE]

Damn Mirage with Rafale Nose looks so damn cool. Why don't India try to upgrade Mirage to this standard.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Crossposting from the MP forum, big report about Rafale in the Air International magazin (credits to Olybrius):



F3R upgrade:
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9755/rfa2.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5486/f3r1.jpg

@sancho have you any idea which standard the IAF's Rafales will be? I've heard F-3+ but will it be close to the F-3R in specs- no point in getting a machine that is already behind the times when it is inducted.

HMS:
http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/9130/hmsn.jpg
http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/8150/lfa2.jpg

And isn't it weird that the French haven't asked for the HMDS to be fitted on their Rafales? I guess the ground work is there so the IAF will have no issues in getting HMDS on their birds.

Damn Mirage with Rafale Nose looks so damn cool. Why don't India try to upgrade Mirage to this standard.

The Mirage was only used as a test bed- this is not an operational model and this was not part of any upgrade the IAF wanted or Dsssualt offered. The IAF wanted to keep the deal as cheap as possible as this was only to keep the M2Ks around for another 10-15 years.

 

[sancho]

@sancho have you any idea which standard the IAF's Rafales will be? I've heard F-3+ but will it be close to the F-3R in specs- no point in getting a machine that is already behind the times when it is inducted.

The F3R is an upgrade mainly based on the requirements of French forces, based on their operational experience. Only a few things will be important for IAF, like Meteor, or additional radar modes for example.

And isn't it weird that the French haven't asked for the HMDS to be fitted on their Rafales? I guess the ground work is there so the IAF will have no issues in getting HMDS on their birds.

They have asked for it, but the air force and navy sees the pros and cons differently and other upgrades were more important, which is why the funding for the Sagem HMS that was chosen, was not provided. Thales however tested Topsight prototypes on the Rafale earlier:

http://www.ausairpower.net/NATO/sextant-topsight.jpg

 

[Abingdonboy]

Courtesy Olybrius

 

[Abingdonboy]

The F3R is an upgrade mainly based on the requirements of French forces, based on their operational experience. Only a few things will be important for IAF, like Meteor, or additional radar modes for example.

@sancho I agree that the F-3R is very much "French-specific" ie increasing interoberabilty with NATO and the like but there are a few bits of kit the IAF would surely be interested in and given the timeline for induction is ~2018 it makes sense for HAL's Rafales to be F-3R standard, no? I'm sure, like you said, the IAF would be interested in a few elements like the new buddy-buddy AAR pods, full integration with Meteor, improvements in the SPECTRA system etc etc


What do you think? Will it happen or will all IAF Rafales be F3+ (.4,.5 whatever)?

 

[Abingdonboy]

 

[Abingdonboy]

 

[sancho]

@sancho I agree that the F-3R is very much "French-specific" ie increasing interoberabilty with NATO and the like but there are a few bits of kit the IAF would surely be interested in and given the timeline for induction is ~2018 it makes sense for HAL's Rafales to be F-3R standard, no? I'm sure, like you said, the IAF would be interested in a few elements like the new buddy-buddy AAR pods, full integration with Meteor, improvements in the SPECTRA system etc etc


What do you think? Will it happen or will all IAF Rafales be F3+ (.4,.5 whatever)?

No ours will be F3+, because the requirement was to be available in 2015, some of the F3R upgrades will be added later too, but most of it is not interesting for India. WRT MMRCA, the possible customisations we might fund have more importance than the F3R upgrade. I expect the Litening G4 pod, HMS, IRST, possibly SPICE 2000 or even Pilum by then. I hope for CFTs, early integration of Meteor, HELINA or SPIKE NLOS, Sudarshan LGBs and ideally an Indian counterpart to SDB.

@Abingdonboy

Btw, do you live in London and will you watch the game tonight? Support Borussia Dortmund!

 

[Abingdonboy]

No ours will be F3+, because the requirement was to be available in 2015, some of the F3R upgrades will be added later too, but most of it is not interesting for India. WRT MMRCA, the possible customisations we might fund have more importance than the F3R upgrade. I expect the Litening G4 pod, HMS, IRST, possibly SPICE 2000 or even Pilum by then. I hope for CFTs, early integration of Meteor, HELINA or SPIKE NLOS, Sudarshan LGBs and ideally an Indian counterpart to SDB.

@Abingdonboy

Btw, do you live in London and will you watch the game tonight? Support Borussia Dortmund!

Do you not think there is the possibility for the first few batches built in France and India to be F3+ but those built after 2018/19 to be India specific F-3Rs ie some of the F-3R's capabilities mated with the IAF's birds? Do you really think CFTs will be available to put onto the IAF's Rafales? I'd have thought these would come with the F4 or later future road-map upgrades. Also when do you think the full details of the IAF's Rafale package will be announced? When the intial contract is signed or over the course of the next 3-4 years and beyond?

@sancho- not a football watcher/supporter really! And I live in Berkshire (close to London).

 

[sancho]

Do you not think there is the possibility for the first few batches built in France and India to be F3+ but those built after 2018/19 to be India specific F-3Rs ie some of the F-3R's capabilities mated with the IAF's birds? Do you really think CFTs will be available to put onto the IAF's Rafales? I'd have thought these would come with the F4 or later future road-map upgrades. Also when do you think the full details of the IAF's Rafale package will be announced? When the intial contract is signed or over the course of the next 3-4 years and beyond?

@sancho- not a football watcher/supporter really! And I live in Berkshire (close to London).

Apart from Meteor, most of the F3R might come with the first general upgrade if needed at all, as I said, most of it is French specific and no use for us.
CFT prototypes were developed and tested, but the final development is still not done and requires funding. But it's possible for the licence produced once and maybe could be even produced in India in general. IMO it would be an asset in air combats against PLAAF and therefor very useful.

Mh sad, but I suggest to at least go to london today and enjoy the atmosphere, especially the Dortmund supporters are known to celebrate very much and if we win, we will turn London upside down.
I'm out now, getting ready for the game and trying to calm down a bit, extreemly nervous right now, but in a good way!

 

[Storm Force]

IS THIS DEAL ANY CLOSER TO BEING SIGNED ANYBODY

I CANT WAIT TIO SEE THE PAKISTANI RESPONSES

MY GOD WHAT A STUNNING FIGHTER