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 Eur. AFs
BASTILLE DAY
Jul 14
RAFALE Le Bourget 2009 - Xavier Cotton http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/
No other fighter aircraft will be as omnipresent at the Paris Air Show as the Rafale as it has been shorlisted for India’s MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) tender along with the Eurofighter. The IAF (Indian Air Force) is to order 126 multirole fighter aircraft for a deal of up to $10 billion. The French Dassault Rafale is still in competition with the Swedish SAAB JAS 39 Gripen, and the American F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in Brazil.
The Rafale also remains with the Gripen, and the Eurofighter in the Swiss NAC competition in order to replace the Swiss Air Force F-5s. The French Air Force has already demonstrated through the Rafale its combat readiness in Afghanistan, and over Libya. Its brand new reconnaissance pod Reco NG is now flying, and it managed to strike moving targets with its laser-guided AASM – Air-to-Ground Modular Weapon – beyond all expectations.
Its new Thales RBE2-AA AESA radar is still being developed. It has already been tested, and should be fully operational next year.
ToT (Transfer of Technology) has been pledged for the Rafale if the Indian government were to make its procurement decision.
Special thanks to Xavier Cotton, an aviation geek who provided the top left picture. Please visit his website http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/ full of fantastic posts about aircraft of all time as well as from everywhere.
As the RAF has already been impacted by huge cuts, now comes the Army, and Navy’s turn. The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) is available here http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg…
According to the BBC, RAF Tornado warplanes would have launched Storm Shadow cruise missiles (equivalent to French MBDA SCALP) on Libya to destroy Gaddafi’s military assets. The Storm Shadows punch holes in runways, radar facilities, and bunkers thanks to their BROACH warheads. (BROACH means Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented CHarge)
The French aircraft – Mirage 2000, and Rafale – seem to have carried out missions over Libya before SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) and flew under the threat of Gadhafi’s GBADs (Ground Based Air Defenses). The UAE and the Qatari air forces could be committed to Operation Odyssey Dawn. Here is the situation according to CNN:
First of all, it is not that simple. Last instance: The “World’s Armed Forces Forum” has recently posted a new topic relating to this Prepa PLS Anglais post: /rafale-vs-typhooneurofighter/ which was edited here on December 20, 2009. It is very clear that this was just a post to pass rumors on to other websurfers who may not have already read/heard such gossips.
This post may have been deemed as a preposterous one among the aviation community. That is why I then posted this post: /french-fighter-aircraft-performance/ in early 2010. Well, in hindsight I ought to add that I had forgotten that confrontation between the French Dassault fighter aircraft with the Eurofighter: the Rafales – there were only two of them according to the report – shot down four Typhoons during an exercise. Yes, twice as many…
The assumption that a Rafale might have shot down an F-22 Raptor left my readers in utter disbelief in 2009. Well, in hindsight again, I ought to add that I had forgotten to quote the Korean balance sheet about the Rafale performance, as I had forgotten that a United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) Mirage 2000-9 (variant of Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2) flown by a French pilot would have – virtually – shot down an F-22 Raptor as well…
RAFALE La Ferté Alais 2010 © Xavier Cotton http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/
I would never write anything like “an F-5 cannot down any French jetfighter”. Let us get real on this – I guess that either an F-5 or a MiG-21 could down any Mirage 2000 or Rafale. It depends on the radars; the sensors; the weapon systems used that day; the weather conditions; the pilots’ training; and their skills; the distance – BVR or WVR, not to mention autonomy; etc. When I read that some people remain adamant that any Rafale cannot have downed any F-22 Raptor, I think that they have the right to take such a stance. As I have the right to believe that they are wrong in their assertion. All-in-all, everything would be rumors… So, why should they care about them?
The pragmatic Swiss have honestly stated that they would be interested in the French Rafale for they got the results of their demanding NAC tests. However, due to a shrinking defense budget, they may not buy Rafales.
As far as the Brazilian, Emirati, Greek, and Indian (for MMRCA tender) media are concerned, they have already issued – at least once – breaking news according to which their countries would not purchase any Rafale for it would be “too expensive“.
Blimey! Let them buy what they like. I do not know whether it is worth paying for such performance because with these tenders, it is not a question of purchasing warplanes but foreign policies. Nonetheless, I would not be suprised to learn that some French Rafale pilots might be eager to challenge the brand new Chinese J-20 5th-generation fighter aircraft as it is deemed to be less performant than the F-22 Raptor.
If it were to happen – J-20 vs Rafale – the result would remain, as usual, among the rumors. 
Photo: © Xavier Cotton – http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com/
