Dassault Rafale

The Dassault Rafale (French pronunciation: [ʁafal], squall) is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. It is called an "omnirole" fighter by its manufacturer.

Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy. It has also been marketed for export to several countries, but has not yet received orders.

In the late 1970s, the Air Force and Navy were seeking replacements for its aircraft. To save development costs, France agreed with four other nations to produce an air dominance fighter, but subsequent disagreements led to a split. To satisfy stringent criteria formulated by the Ministry of Defense, Dassault built a technology demonstrator to prove the viability of its new product. Further development led to the current Rafale variants, which embody innovative avionics and aerodynamics, optimised for air supremacy operations.


General characteristics

    Crew: 1–2
    Length: 15.27 m (50.1 ft)
    Wingspan: 10.80 m (35.4 ft)
    Height: 5.34 m (17.5 ft)
    Wing area: 45.7 m² (492 ft²)
    Empty weight: 9,500 kg (C), 9,770 kg (B),[105] 10,196 kg (M)
    Loaded weight: 14,016 kg (30,900 lb)
    Max takeoff weight: 24,500 kg (C/D), 22,200 kg (M) (54,000 lb)
    Powerplant: 2 × Snecma M88-2 turbofans
        Dry thrust: 50.04 kN (11,250 lbf) each
        Thrust with afterburner: 75.62 kN (17,000 lbf) each
    Fuel capacity: 4,700 kg (10,000 lb) internal

Performance

    Maximum speed:
        High altitude: Mach 1.8+ (2,130+ km/h, 1,050+ knots)
        Low altitude: 1,390 km/h, 750 knots
    Range: 3,700+ km (2,000+ nmi)
    Combat radius: 1,852+ km (1,000+ nmi) on penetration mission
    Service ceiling: 16,800 m (55,000 ft)
    Rate of climb: 304.8+ m/s (60,000+ ft/min)
    Wing loading: 306 kg/m² (62.8 lb/ft²)
    Thrust/weight: 1.10 (100% fuel, 2 EM A2A missile, 2 IR A2A missile)

Armament

    Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GIAT 30/719B autocannon with 125 rounds
    Hardpoints: 14 for Armée de l'Air version (Rafale B,C), 13 for Aéronavale version (Rafale M) with a capacity of 9,500 kg (21,000 lb) external fuel and ordnance and provisions to carry combinations of:
        Missiles:
            MBDA MICA IR or EM or Magic II and
            MBDA Meteor air-to-air mssiles in the future
        Air-to-ground:
            MBDA Apache or
            Storm Shadow-SCALP EG or
            AASM-Hammer or
            GBU-12 Paveway II
        Air-to-surface:
            AM 39-Exocet
        Deterrence:
            ASMP-A nuclear missile
        Other:
            Thales Damocles targeting pod
            RECO NG (New Generation) reconnaissance pod
            up to 5 drop tanks
            The Rafale can also carry a buddy-buddy refuelling pod[37]

Avionics

    Thales RBE2 radar
    Thales SPECTRA electronic warfare system.
    Thales/SAGEM-OSF Optronique Secteur Frontal infra-red search and track system.