Sapper
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2009
- Messages
- 356
- Reaction score
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Dear All,
If anyone is really interested in a professional and sensible comparison of aircrafts that were contending for MMRCA competition, i really recommend reading this ...
dogfight ! India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Decision [PDF-File]
The fact of the matter is that Mirage2000 always fell short of F16's later blocks, because the basic airframe was based on Mirage 3/5 series, which was itself a 60's era technology. Mirage2000 tried to come close to F16s performance, but everything in it fell short, because the design just didn't allow it.
Tabulated below are few things that Mirage2000 was never able to compete when compared to F16 ...
1. Thrust to weight ratio (Much Less than the desired unity for Mirage2000). Top speed for Mirage2000 is marginally higher than F16 at high altitude, but lower than F16 in mid/low altitude.
2. Relaxed Stability Design (Positive G-assist during pitch up and level for F16, as opposed to Negative in Mirage3/5/2000), thus F16 was able to sustain much higher sustained turn rate in almost all regimes, only the instantaneous turn rate of Mirage2000 was slightly better in some regimes.
3. Dedicated Pitch control surface (Canard-less design of Mirage2000)
4. Too few Hardpoints (9 of Mirage2000, vs 11 of F16C), also the fact that the 4 fuselage stations are space and load restrictive. Lack of dedicated hardpoints for mission pods.
5. Larger Radar Array for F16.
6. Larger fairings for EW equipment for F16.
7. Larger weapons carrying capability for F16.
8. Extended range option with dorsal Conformal Fuel Tanks for F16s.
9. Better range for two seat versions due to Dorsal Spine.
10. Much Much Better cockpit ergonomics and All-around-view Bubble canopy for F16.
Now to rectify all this, Rafale was designed to compete and surpass all of above mentioned F16's parameters that could not be satisfied with Mirage2000. But F16 also underwent continued development and by early 2000s both F16 and Rafale were neck&neck once again. Then F16 moved slightly ahead with F16E/F deploying AESA as well as dedicated IRST. Now Rafale is again playing catchup with their F3+ version, ten years later. Rafale is eventually geared up to overtake F16 in coming years, as the project upgrades for F16 have almost seized up.
Rafale was ofcoarse Designed to be 4+ generation aircraft, while F16 had to undergo upgrades to come in same class, but nevertheless it falls in the same class. Besides Rafale has slight edge over F16 in almost all paramters (except costs), but not enough to make a fuss about. The gap will eventually increase overtime since Rafale will continue to be upgraded for the next 30 or so years.
Regards,
Sapper
If anyone is really interested in a professional and sensible comparison of aircrafts that were contending for MMRCA competition, i really recommend reading this ...
dogfight ! India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Decision [PDF-File]
The fact of the matter is that Mirage2000 always fell short of F16's later blocks, because the basic airframe was based on Mirage 3/5 series, which was itself a 60's era technology. Mirage2000 tried to come close to F16s performance, but everything in it fell short, because the design just didn't allow it.
Tabulated below are few things that Mirage2000 was never able to compete when compared to F16 ...
1. Thrust to weight ratio (Much Less than the desired unity for Mirage2000). Top speed for Mirage2000 is marginally higher than F16 at high altitude, but lower than F16 in mid/low altitude.
2. Relaxed Stability Design (Positive G-assist during pitch up and level for F16, as opposed to Negative in Mirage3/5/2000), thus F16 was able to sustain much higher sustained turn rate in almost all regimes, only the instantaneous turn rate of Mirage2000 was slightly better in some regimes.
3. Dedicated Pitch control surface (Canard-less design of Mirage2000)
4. Too few Hardpoints (9 of Mirage2000, vs 11 of F16C), also the fact that the 4 fuselage stations are space and load restrictive. Lack of dedicated hardpoints for mission pods.
5. Larger Radar Array for F16.
6. Larger fairings for EW equipment for F16.
7. Larger weapons carrying capability for F16.
8. Extended range option with dorsal Conformal Fuel Tanks for F16s.
9. Better range for two seat versions due to Dorsal Spine.
10. Much Much Better cockpit ergonomics and All-around-view Bubble canopy for F16.
Now to rectify all this, Rafale was designed to compete and surpass all of above mentioned F16's parameters that could not be satisfied with Mirage2000. But F16 also underwent continued development and by early 2000s both F16 and Rafale were neck&neck once again. Then F16 moved slightly ahead with F16E/F deploying AESA as well as dedicated IRST. Now Rafale is again playing catchup with their F3+ version, ten years later. Rafale is eventually geared up to overtake F16 in coming years, as the project upgrades for F16 have almost seized up.
Rafale was ofcoarse Designed to be 4+ generation aircraft, while F16 had to undergo upgrades to come in same class, but nevertheless it falls in the same class. Besides Rafale has slight edge over F16 in almost all paramters (except costs), but not enough to make a fuss about. The gap will eventually increase overtime since Rafale will continue to be upgraded for the next 30 or so years.
Regards,
Sapper