PATROUILLE de FRANCE - Reims June 28, 2009 - Photo: © Xavier Cotton, http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/
This wonderful picture to celebrate the French national day. The picture was shot by Xavier Cotton, the Passion pour l’aviation‘s webmaster.
Archive for category Armée de l’Air
BASTILLE DAY
Jul 14
Rafale - © Xavier Cotton, http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com
(Article adapted from AVIANEWS) According to Pascal – you can read here in French – the Rafale has numerous assets, and might become the winner in the NAC competition to replace the F-5 fleet, id est: Switzerland might buy Dassault’s fighters.
Industrial partnership:
The industrial consortium Rafale International – Dassault Aviation, Snecma (Safran Group), and Thales – MBDA, and their subcontractors are able to offer Switzerland an industrial and scientific cooperation for the benefit of the townships . This offer concerns the whole range of suppliers ie: the military, but also the civilian sector which includes programs for Falcon business jets, the civilian CFM56 engines, and Aircraft and helicopters avionics.
Rafale - © Xavier Cotton, http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com
Some elements of the Rafale have already been produced in Switzerland – cockpit, fuel tank and more recently additional elements of the Thales radar RBE2.
The offer includes the outsourcing of many structural components, final assembly andmaintenance in Switzerland for all of the Rafale program, and research and development. The manufacture of weapons (MICA missiles) is also proposed and the development of helmet-mounted sight GERFAUT are also concerned, as well as systems such as the system of self-protection SPECTRA and OSF (Front Sector Optronic).
France would have confirmed the Swiss access to all technologies used in the aircraft including development tools, source codes, and to the most sensitive data.
Optimized for Switzerland:
According to Dassault, the Rafale would suit Switzerland, because as a neighbor, the military and industrial collaboration can be eased considerably. Moreover, the latest block (F3+) which was tested in Switzerland responded to 95% in specifications and offers the following possibilities:
- flight capability in supercruise mode .
- Short take-off distance.
- Range and flight capacity extended, enabling long surveillance missions.
- Swiss militia could carry out fast preflight checks.
- Ease of integration into the structures already built.
Multisensor system proposed:
The proposed version of the Rafale in Switzerland is the most recent available, that is to say the block F3+ (sometimes identified F4). This version is not in service yet. However, 60 Rafales of this kind were ordered by the French Air Force and Navy in late December 2009. The F3+ features:
- Thales AESA Radar RBE-2AA .
- SPECTRA self-protection system.
- New-generation OSF (Optronic Front Sector).
- Latest data link 16 (Link16 – MIDS).
- NCW (Net Centric Warfare) data fusion system.
Rafale - © Xavier Cotton, http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com
In terms of propulsion, it is not excluded that a more powerful version of the SNECMA M-88 jet engine might be available
(to be confirmed).
Military training cooperation:
Switzerland is already training with the French Air Force (air-to-air refueling, and EPERVIER exercise). In case of Rafale acquisition, pilots would also have flight simulators at their disposal as well as several training sectors in France. De plus, la base aérienne 113 de Saint-Dizier serait ouverte pour nos pilotes. Moreover, the air base 113 at Saint-Dizier – already equipped with Rafale facilities – would welcome the Swiss pilots.
Rafale - © Xavier Cotton, http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com
Pascal’s comments:
Although not a favorite in early trials, the F3 + version has demonstrated its excellent capabilities and respond in exemplary fashion to the specifications. In addition, Dassault personnel were able to conduct a remarkable campaign thanks to both technical and interpersonal skills. The Rafale now has many assets that could very well do to win the Helvetian market!
(Article adapted from Pascal’s AVIANEWS blog – Photos: © Xavier Cotton’s gallery and his blog http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/)
Sukhoi Su-30 MKI - Photo: 1st Lt. George Tobias - www.af.mil
By Frontier India | June 7th, 2010
An Indian Air Force contingent of 230 Air Warriors was flagged off from Air Force Station Bareilly by Air Marshal S Varthaman, Senior Air Staff Officer, Central Air Command at a formal ceremony today. The IAF contingent would be taking part in Exercise Garuda scheduled from 14 Jun to 25 Jun 2010, at Istres Air Base, France.
The IAF assets taking part in exercise include 6 Sukhoi – 30 MKIs Air Dominance fighter aircraft , 3 Ilushin – 78 Flight Refueller Aircraft & 1 Ilushin – 76 Heavy Lift Transport Aircraft.
Photo from US Air Force Link
READ FULL ARTICLE >>>>> Further information on this site: Brute Gorilla: IAF TEAM FOR EX – GARUDA FLAGGED OFF and here:Brute Gorilla: French Naval Ship Tonnerre (Mistral Class) at Cochin
WW1 – Tribute to the Lafayette Squadron
envoyé par KumKum91. – L’info video en direct.
Lafayette Flying Corps memorial - USAF photo/Cpt. Tony Wickman
by Capt. Tony Wickman
U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs
6/1/2010 – PARIS (AFNS) — U.S. and French civilian and military leaders paid their respects to America’s first combat pilots during ceremony at a memorial outside of Paris, May 27.
Gen. Roger Brady, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Rivkin, French Lt. Gen. Paul Fouilland, the Strategic Air Forces commander, several local elected officials and nearly 200 guests gathered at the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial’s central Arc de Triomphe to pay tribute to the 68 American pilots who died in service to the Allies during World War I.
READ FULL ARTICLE >>>>> www.af.mil courtesy.
Article about the Escadrille Américaine
List of the 269 pilots who joined up the Lafayette Flying Corps
F-22 Raptor - Sonic boom (U.S. Navy photo by Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class Ronald Dejarnett)
As I have been told that this post about Rafales vs Eurofighter Typhoons, F-16s, and F-22s left some in disbelief, I believe it is fair to point out that some elements were written in bold typing as “rumours”, and the publications quoted were not “filed” as rumours though it might have been some rumours as well – who knows, indeed?
For instance, many times gossip spread about Mirage 2000s that would never shoot F-16s down. Never ever? Watch below…
Many (on a global basis – which means not everybody) people still believe that no Rafale could outperform any F-16. Let us watch hereafter (in French, sorry).
For those who cannot speak French, it is mentioned in this video that the Rafales defeated the F-16s in a US AFB, and the score would have been 6 – 2.
Well, let us go back to the previous Rafales’ performance post for I have not added further information I had read before from a remarkable Swiss aviation specialist’s website: AVIA NEWS. Pascal – AVIA NEWS webmaster – let me quote his analysis according to which the Rafale obtained the best score (95%) among the fighter aircraft evaluated for choosing which will replace the Swiss Air Force’s F-5 Tiger. The other two competitors were the SAAB JAS-39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter / Typhoon. I am going to update my previous article about this figure.
Last but not least: The Dutch did compare various fighter aircraft in 2002. Who remembers? The RNLAF – the Royal Netherlands Air Force – carried out this study and the balance sheet came out in the Dutch press:
Here is the rating reported:
F-35 = 6.97
RAFALE = 6.95
Eurofighter = 5.83
F-16 Block 60 = 5.80
Well, we must admit that the JSF / F-35 Lightning II is the best fighter among those that were assessed. However it was a close shave, wasn’t it?
Some might say “it was just an illusion”. Well, why not? Illusion would be everywhere – as for instance:
- Do you really think that a serious R&D organisation is used to issuing so-called inaccurate reports?
- Do you really think that a DGA/CHEAr research director would recognize that the Rafale can be on a par with the JSF / F-35 Lightning II? This is what happened during a symposium (colloque) in January 2006.
As a conclusion, many people still believe that F-16s can outperform Rafales, MiG-29s, Eurofighters, and even Su-27s. This is not an illusion.
Photo: www.navy.mil courtesy
