Dassault Rafale --- TECHNICAL News Only !!!!!!!

Training

(Ex-Mods have ruled that Dassault activities with their foreign customers can have no more impact on French Rafale training syllabus, notably by preventing them to systematically use, for foreign student training, flights from AdlaAE or French Navy airframe, something that had an impact on the flux of new French Rafale pilots.)
 
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French Chief of the Defence Staff in a hearing today on the Rafale F5

The Rafale F5 will truly be a new aircraft in terms of capabilities.​
It will be capable of delivering the new ASN4G nuclear missile in 2035, the new Comète/Comet air-to-air missile in 2030, and the new SEAD version of the Stratus RS missile. ​
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It will feature the new T-Rex M88 engine. More thrust and more mass require more fuel, so it will also feature conformal fuel tanks.​
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Also, in terms of communications, we are moving toward systems that are increasingly connected; we do not want to depend on the US, so we will have new 100% sovereign, discreet communication systems.​
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This Rafale F5 will operate with drones. We will start experimenting with drones in the coming years, both small drones and very large drones/UCAVs.​
 
TomcatViP said:
Glad to see the Mirage will be with us until then. Worth a comprehensive retrofit if you ask me.
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Aren't they just out of it, though? If they're on their last 10-year leg of service.
 
Ainen said:
Aren't they just out of it, though? If they're on their last 10-year leg of service.
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Yes, 50 Mirage 2000D have been upgraded to RMV standard. Delivered from 2022-2025. Planned out of service date is 2035, to be replaced by Rafale F5s.
theaviationist.com

French Air Force Fields Heavily Upgraded Mirage 2000D RMV

The Mirage 2000D underwent a mid-life update to better adapt to the demands of contemporary conflicts and continue to fly until at least 2035. The Armée
theaviationist.com theaviationist.com
 
The DGA announced yesterday that a rocket pod (Thales rockets) will be integrated by this summer on the Rafale
Also, the fire control system of the 30mm cannon has already been upgraded to engage Shahed-type threats.

Rafale M1 undergoing trials with the pod today :
image.jpeg
 
Titus K said:
The DGA announced yesterday that a rocket pod (Thales rockets) will be integrated by this summer on the Rafale
Also, the fire control system of the 30mm cannon has already been upgraded to engage Shahed-type threats.

Rafale M1 undergoing trials with the pod today :
View attachment 809268
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Confirming the above but also news of another C-UAS solution. Unclear but presumably not launched by the Rafale...

https://twitter.com/x/status/2044744267906642295
View: https://x.com/GarethJennings3/status/2044744267906642295
 
Archibald said:
Good old SNB 68 mm rocket pods. Just like a 1969 Mirage V, except with a guidance system and for air to air, not A2G.
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One advantage is that these Telson 12JF pods are relatively large, carrying 12 rockets compared to 7 in APKWS pods.

Although is believe there is a triple launcher capable of carrying 3 APKWS pods or 21 rockets on a single hardpoint.
 
Titus K said:
One advantage is that these Telson 12JF pods are relatively large, carrying 12 rockets compared to 7 in APKWS pods.

Although is believe there is a triple launcher capable of carrying 3 APKWS pods or 21 rockets on a single hardpoint.
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Well here the 2x Telson pods are carried on the midwing (PU 708) universal pylon, instead of the original plan which was to fit them to the new outboard wing pylon... but that never happened due to funding.

So it should be possible to carry 4x 12-rd rocket pods and a total of 48 laser guided rockets, if they fund rocket pod integration on the outboard wing pylon.
 
Titus K said:
One advantage is that these Telson 12JF pods are relatively large, carrying 12 rockets compared to 7 in APKWS pods.
Click to expand...

There is a 19 round Hydra pod (LAU-61 and derivatives) that was used in the past on fast air...be interesting to see where this trend goes..

To be honest I've always wondered if the SNEB's more aerodynamic shape was a major advantage of the US plain cylinder types....and if so by what margin.

Is the 'Matra' rocket, whilst sovereign, going to provide similar performance to the Hydra 70 based APKWS though? Its a smaller, less powerful rocket motor...and shorter length available for guidance and warhead?
 
In Dogfight only,

I saw in my country a Mirage-2000 easy beaten F-16,with its
high performance, because of its high capabilities and more
streamlined body,so I think in this case only,Rafale can overcome
the F-35.
 

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