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RAFALE'S MINI ENCYLOPEDIA FOR IT'S FANBOYZ

M88: A CONTINUOUSLY UPGRADED MILITARY JET ENGINE

The M88 jet engine built by Snecma (Safran), powerplant of the Dassault Aviation Rafale multirole fighter, has largely proven its maturity and operational capabilities, especially during the Harmattan operation in Libya, lasting eight months in 2011. With the latest M88-4E standard, incorporating a "TCO pack" to reduce total cost of ownership, the M88 kicks off a new phase in its ongoing evolution. Didier Desnoyer, head of Snecma's Military Engine division, shares his insights.

After being qualified in April 2012, the first M88-4E with the TCO pack was delivered in May. How would you describe its new performance capabilities?

The commissioning of the new TCO pack standard marks a major step forward in the ongoing upgrades of the M88 engine. Our aim, working with the French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction Générale de l'Armement) was to streamline maintenance operations and reduce costs for the Rafale fighter. Calling on our state-of-the-art design methods and manufacturing technologies, we modified certain critical parts in the hot section of the engine to extend their service lives. These parts operate in particularly harsh environments, and are traditionally demanding in terms of maintenance. By extending their lifespan, we naturally decrease the total cost of ownership for the engine. But the gains aren't solely financial: improvements to the high-pressure section, especially on the stator and rotor modules, enables us to streamline maintenance operations and reduce the number of times the plane is grounded for servicing, which in turn increases the engines' dispatch reliability. The latter is generally expressed in terms of tactical air cycles, or TAC, a NATO standard that measures the number of times pilots use the throttle between inspections. On the M88-4E, we have increased TAC from 2,500 cycles to 4,000 cycles! To date, 16 Rafales have had their M88 engines retrofitted to the 4E standard, by changing out their turbine blades. Plus, two new Rafales with M88-4E engines were delivered to the French air force in December 2012.

What are other possible upgrades for this engine in the coming years?

The TCO pack M88-4E engine clearly reflects Snecma's ability to come up with innovative maintainability solutions. Our technological leadership is based on our ability to improve engine performance, combined with input from extensive Research & Technology efforts. For example, we're working on a technology development program called THEO, launched by the DGA in 2003. The aim is to design new parts that will enhance the efficiency of high-pressure turbines. In turn, this means higher thrust, which is a natural development for a combat aircraft engine. We are now working on making this thrust increase compatible with the gains of the TCO pack by about 2015.

What's the current status of the Indian contract for new fighter planes?

For the last few years we have been negotiating the sale of M88 engines within the scope of India's request for proposals (RFP) for their new medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), concerning 126 fighters for the country's air force. The Rafale was selected for exclusive negotiations, and we are now taking a close look at gradual production transfers and industrial offsets.

Snecmag - Snecma

So india would get most probably this engine M88 -4E package with TCO pack
 
Air International , April 2013:

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AESA news
According to Guillaume Steuers (who writes for Air&Cosmos), at the end of the last month, an AESA equiped Rafale has fired a Mica, as part of its OPEVAL.

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More recently, the only AESA available for OPEVAL was installed onboard a twin seater Rafale, the B305. The quick operation lasted 2 hours.

Rafale News: AESA news


AASM laser for Mali

News from Air & Cosmos : Operation Serval, in Mali, demonstrated the need for a weapon capable of engaging a fast moving target.

This is the reason why a crash program was launched, and as a result, the AASM laser (capable of hitting a target moving at 80kmph) is going to be declared operational on Rafale in a few days, months earlier than initially planned.

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Rafale News: AASM laser for Mali
 
Air&Cosmos 2353:

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Page 2:
MMRCA offsets : Thales and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) signed a joint venture. 74% of the JV will be owned by BEL. 60% of the workload will be transferred to India, 40% will remain in France.

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CEAM is studying the concept of use of the new RBE2 AESA radar:

- 90 experiment flights scheduled until the end of 2012, 60 flights already done.
- Détection tests with Neuron.
- Tests with Spectra.
- 4 new Rafale AESA will be delivered to EC 1/7 Provence by the end of the year.
- Radar range increased by over 50%.
- Scanning area + / - 70 degrees either side of the axis of the plane.
- Better reliability.
- Number of tracks detected multiplied by 3.
:D
- The system remains fluid for the pilot with the current MMI and calculators.
- The RBE2 AESA will be deployed at the next NATO Tiger Meet in June

Rafale C137 with CEAM insignia:

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Dassault To Incorporate Major Upgrades To Rafale F3R

While attending the 9th edition of LAAD, aircraft-maker Dassault Aviation has promised to deliver the most wide-ranging material to be incorporated on the Rafale aircraft which is in the running for the Brazilin F-X2 program.
According to reports, the Rafale is being upgraded to a new standard with major software upgrades and will known as the Rafale F3R. The upgrade will complement the enhanced Thales RBE2 active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar which will allow the aircraft to deploy the MBDA Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), along with affording improvements to the aircraft's Thales SPECTRA self-defence system and Mode-5/Mode-S-compatible Identification Friend or Foe interrogator/transponder.

In 2012, the French defence procurement agency (DGA) revealed that it awarded a contract to Dassault to complete a risk reduction study for an upgrade of the Rafale combat. The first production Rafale, equipped with the RBE2 radar, was handed over to the DGA in October and is currently undergoing flight testing. Meanwhile, weapons separation tests of the Meteor missile were completed with the Rafale during the same month.
The French Air Force recently took delivery of the first Rafale aircraft equipped with AESA radar RBE2 and completed the final qualifying phase of the laser-guided AASM variant, the SBU-54.
Both combined with the latest generation of missile warning systems and various improvements in human-machine interface made the game omnirole become even more efficient, lethal, sustainable, reliable and easy to maintain.
The AESA radar technology RBE2 also adds a number of operating improvements to the aircraft, as increased by about 50% of the range and improve the ability of the radar. The angular coverage is improved, enhancing the ability to detect targets of smaller signature.

Since the final qualification tests of the SBU-54 variant of the AASM "Hammer" was performed and completed in 2012, the French armed forces have begun using the weapon accurately this year. HAMMER is equipped with a docked tail and a range extension kit, which includes a powerful rocket engine and wings with automatic opening. Thanks to its reach long distances (over 60 km for a launch at high altitude, or 15 km if launched at low altitude), it is possible to achieve air defense systems and keep safely out of reach. Even more important is the ability to engage six different targets in a single pass. With the AASM, the Rafale does not have to overfly the target to perform its task accurately.

Last year, the first test firing of the missile propulsion Ramjet Meteor paved the way for the adoption of new advanced tactical air defense superiority and self-sufficiency, which will revolutionize the way Rafales operating in air-to-air mode. The test firing of Meteor missiles complement the compatibility tests with aircraft carriers, already made in nuclear ship Charles de Gaulle, to ensure that the new missile support the shocks associated with catapult launches and landings aboard. Its part of an overall program of integration that will culminate with the entry into service of the new Meteor missile, in 2018, which will provide a zone of guaranteed success many times larger than the current missile.

Other improvements ordered by the French Ministry of Defence include the Mode 5 IFF, link data with advanced collision avoidance systems, the new generation targeting pods (target designator) of Thales and its new features such as an increased ability to identify and overview of collateral damage.

Dassault To Incorporate Major Upgrades To Rafale F3R
 
@DrSomnath999 any idea what standard the Rafales delivered to the IAF will be? I had heard F3+, will they be along the lines of the F3R?
 
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MICA NG IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT
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Page 28: Work studies about the future Mica NG started at MBDA, Thales and Sagem.

- Same mechanical and electrical interface and same outer envelope for direct integration on Rafale without additional cost.
- New Roxel engine with double pulse in order to conserve energy at the end of flight.
- Increased range with more propellant.
- New gyroscope for more accuracy in inertial guidance phase.
- Improved infrared seeker with increased resolution.
- Improved radar seeker
- "Third party targeting" under consideration.
- Funding already secured for the next three years.

Redundance with Meteor? no, because of short-range performance and lower cost.
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Rafale to expand Meteor missile testing

Fresh separation trials involving the Dassault Rafale and MBDA's Meteor beyond visual-range air-to-air missile are due to be performed in late May, as the type edges closer towards eventual service introduction with the French armed forces.[...] Further releases will be performed as France moves towards making the first controlled and boosted launch of a Meteor from the Rafale during 2015.

Rafale to expand Meteor missile testing
 
Sagem’s Smart AASM Now Laser-Qualified

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The laser-guided version of the Sagem AASM (armament air-sol modulaire) air-launched “smart” weapon was qualified last month by the French air armaments agency (DGA) at the Cazaux flight-test center, and will soon enter service in France with operational squadrons of Rafale combat aircraft. It is intended primarily for use against mobile targets. Meanwhile, the French air force has revealed details of recent attack missions over Mali when up to 12 INS/GPS-guided versions of the AASM were salvo-fired within one minute against preplanned targets, to achieve maximum surprise. The weapon was previously fired over Afghanistan and Libya.


The AASM is a modular weapon, designated SBU-38 and named Hammer by NATO. The INS/GPS-guided version entered service in 2008, followed by an IR-guided version in 2011. It features a rocket booster that fires automatically to extend the range when required. In theory, there are four warhead-size options from 125 kg to 1,000 kg. But France has ordered only the 250 kg version to date, although the 125-kg version has also been qualified. Sagem hopes to export the weapon, notably to India in connection with the Dassault Rafale deal that is still in negotiation.

Following three developmental firings in 2010-11, three qualification firings were conducted last year, one against a fixed ground target from high altitude, another from medium altitude against a small vessel at sea and a third from medium altitude against a moving vehicle. The last “was a representative close-air support [CAS] mission,” according to Mathieu Chuiton, a DGA flight-test engineer. He described how the weapon was released from the Rafale that also designated the 90-degree off-axis target, at 10- to 15-km range. The test was deliberately conducted on a partly cloudy day, with the missile being initially guided toward the target by GPS, while the Rafale descended below the clouds to activate the laser of its Thales Damocles pod.

A Rafale can carry six AASMs, three on each of two underwing pylons. The Mali missions included one in which six AASMs were fired against munitions storage and training camp targets, and another in which two Rafales attacked 12 dispersed targets. The rebel forces “never expected so many of their buildings to be destroyed at once,” said the Rafale squadron commander who briefed journalists during a DGA media tour last week. He and other French air force officers noted that the AASM is more expensive than the GBU-12 laser-guided weapon that is also carried by the Rafale. But the French-designed weapon is more effective, partly thanks to a vertical attack mode that can be selected from the cockpit. The laser-guided version can also be used against targets moving at 80 km/hr–twice the limit of the GBU-12–and it is easier to operate from a single-pilot aircraft, the officers added.

Sagem
 

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