By the way,the EF AESA radar may come later but will definately be much better than the RBE 2 of Rafale.
Based on? Range is not everything, especially for the future, like even the EF consortium stated and apart from range the RBE 2 AESA offers more than a good package. It ready today, will be mature and fully capable by the time we get the first squad, unlike the CAPTOR E that comes at least one year too late and with limited modes only. The RBE 2 tracks and engages more targets at the same time, will get GaN moduls earlier and will have at least twice the coverage of the EF radar in future, which shows that it has more future potential as well.
Not to forget that not even the EF radar will have as much range as the upgraded MKI, or FGFA radar, so what's the point here anyway?
One side Germany's superhuman engineering skills and on the other side, France's elegant masterstroke. This contest is a difficult one to decide. The only point where EFT loses is pricing (Tranche 3 is true multirole).
Correction, tranche T3A is not more multi role than it is today, because all it gets so far is another LGB and new BVR missiles. That doesn't make it useful in deep / stand off strikes, SEAD, maritime attack, or recon roles and even in CAS the Rafale will remain to be superior.
True multi role capabilities for EF requires fundings of new techs and weapons, or as the EF consortium calls it, the "next enhancement" upgrade, but the EF partners don't have the money to do it and that's why they searching for another partner. Btw, keep in mind that this partnership offer is not exclusive for India only, the same is on offer for Japan, South Korea and Turkey and any other country that joins, one more nation we have to negotiate with.
Yeah,the trench 3b will definately outclass the Dassault Rafale by a significant margine but no one knows when will it come.
You are highly mistaken and should take a look at this:
The "next enhancement" are the developments where we should team up with them, or in more fitting words,
that we should fund!
Green - features that are ready and funded
Orange - features that are under integration, or development now, or where comparable systems are available *
Red - features that are neiter funded, or cleared for integration yet
* Rafale has no glide bomb with wings to extend the range, but uses a rocket propullsion at AASM to reach stand off ranges. I would mark it green, but I know the EF supporters would argue that it has no wings.
As you can see, most of the features on this list that the EF will get only in future, with additional costs and time for developments, as well integration is either already available on the current Rafale F3, or will be on the F3+ that from 2013 onwards. The EF is at least a full upgrade behind the Rafale, so it can just catch up, but will never offer more, although both have comparable potential. The simple fact is, while the French state is fully commited to the Rafale and constantly funding upgrades and further developments, as well as ordering new fighters, the EF partners are not and cancelling, or re-selling their fighters. That's why the Rafale is so much more capable and why it has a brighter future.
P.S. To make it clear once again, the Rafale F3+ will be available with most of this features by 2013, while the EF with all this future upgrades will not be available before 2018 (estimated by the british government)!
. Europeans really need to get a grip on their costs. $120 million for a 4.5th generation jet is pure disaster. If we could get the production lines for the Typhoon in India, the costs could come down to $ 60 million- 70 million per jet.
