Rafale Multi-Role Combat Fighter, France

Rafale is a twin-jet combat aircraft capable of carrying out a wide range of short- and long-range missions, including ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance, and high-accuracy strike or nuclear strike deterrence.

The aircraft has been developed for the French Air Force and Navy. 61 aircraft were ordered (36 for the Air Force and 25 for the Navy).

The Rafale M entered service in 2001 and 10 aircraft are operational on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. Rafale B and C entered service with the French Air Force in June 2006, when the first squadron was established. The second Air Force squadron will be set up in 2008.

Navy Rafale F1 standard fighters have air-to-air capability. Deliveries to the Navy of the F2 standard, with air-to-ground missiles, began in May 2006 and 15 are to be delivered by 2008. F1 aircraft are to be upgraded.

A contract to develop the fully capable F3 standard aircraft with Thales terrain-following RBE2 3D radar, Thales RECO NG optronics pod and capability to launch ASMP-A nuclear missiles and AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles was signed in February 2004 and an order for 59 F3 aircraft, 47 for the Air Force (11 two-seat and 36 single-seat) and 12 (single-seat) for the Navy, was placed in December 2004. The Rafale F3 will be delivered from 2007 and the first squadron of 20 aircraft will be in service in 2009.

In March 2007, three French Air Force and three Navy Rafale fighters began deployment in Tajikistan in support of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

COCKPIT

The cockpit has Hands-On Throttle And Stick control (HOTAS). The cockpit is equipped with a head-up, wide-angle holographic display from Thales Avionique, which provides aircraft control data, mission data and firing cues.

A collimated, multi-image head-level display presents tactical situation and sensor data, and two touch-screen lateral displays show the aircraft system parameters and mission data. The pilot also has a helmet-mounted sight and display. A CCD camera and on-board recorder records the image of the head-up display throughout the mission.

WEAPONS

The Rafale can carry payloads of over 9t on 14 hardpoints for the Air Force version, and 13 for the naval version. The range of weapons includes: Mica, Magic, Sidewinder, ASRAAM and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; Apache, AS30L, ALARM, HARM, Maverick and PGM100 air-to-ground missiles; and Exocet / AM39, Penguin 3 and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

For a strategic mission the Rafale can deliver the MBDA (formerly Aerospatiale) ASMP standoff nuclear missile. In December 2004, the MBDA Storm Shadow / Scalp EG stand-off cruise missile was qualified on the Rafale.

In September 2005, the first flight of the MBDA Meteor BVRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missile was conducted on a Rafale fighter. In December 2005, successful flight trials were carried out from the Charles de Gaulle of the range of Rafale's weapon systems – Exocet, Scalp-EG, Mica, ASMP-A (to replace the ASMP) and Meteor missiles.

In April 2007, the Rafale carried out the first firing of the Sagem AASM precision-guided bomb, which has both GPS / inertial guidance and, optionally, imaging infrared terminal guidance. Rafale will be equipped with the AASM from 2008.

The Rafale has a twin gun pod and a Nexter (formerly Giat) 30mm DEFA 791B cannon, which can fire 2,500 rounds a minute.

The Rafale is equipped with laser designation pods for laser guidance of air-to-ground missiles.

COUNTERMEASURES

The Rafale's electronic warfare system is the Spectra from Thales. Spectra incorporates solid state transmitter technology, radar warner, DAL laser warning receiver, missile warning, detection systems and jammers.

SENSORS

The Rafale is equipped with an RBE2 radar, developed by Thales, which has look-down and shoot-down capability. The radar can track up to eight targets simultaneously and provides threat identification and prioritisation.

The optronic systems include the Thales/SAGEM OSF infrared search and track system, installed in the nose of the aircraft. The optronic suite carries out search, target identification, telemetry and automatic target discrimination and tracking.

NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

The communications suite on the Rafale uses the Saturn onboard V/UHF radio, which is a second-generation, anti-jam tactical UHF radio for NATO. Saturn provides voice encryption in fast-frequency hopping mode.

The aircraft is also equipped with fixed-frequency VHF/UHF radio for communications with civil air traffic control. A multifunction information distribution system (MIDS) terminal provides secure, high-data-rate tactical data exchange with NATO C2 stations, AWACS aircraft or naval ships.

Rafale is equipped with a Thales TLS 2000 navigation receiver, which is used for the approach phase of flight. The TLS 2000 integrates the Instrument Landing System (ILS), Microwave Landing System (MLS) and VHF Omni-directional Radio-ranger (VOR) and marker functions.

The radar altimeter is the AHV 17 altimeter from Thales, which is suitable for very low flight. The Rafale has a TACAN tactical air navigation receiver for en route navigation and as a landing aid.

The Rafale has an SB25A combined interrogator-transponder developed by Thales. The SB25A is the first IFF using electronic scanning technology.

ENGINE

The Rafale is powered by two M88-2 engines from SNECMA, each providing a thrust of 75kN. The aircraft is equipped for buddy-buddy refuelling with a flight refuelling hose reel and drogue pack.

Messier-Dowty provides the 'jumper' landing gear, designed to spring out when the aircraft is catapulted by the nose gear strut.