Contender for $10.4-billion tender for 126 advanced combat aircraft
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing agile multi-role 4.5th-generation jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation.
Since 2006, the French Air Force and Navy RAFALE fighters have been engaged in countless combat missions in Afghanistan
1.Role - Multirole fighter aircraft
2.National origin - France
3.Manufacturer - Dassault Aviation
4.First flight - 4 July 1986
5.Introduced - 4 December 2000
6.Status - Active
7.Primary users - French Air Force,French Navy
Aircraft Characteristics –
1.Dimensions :
2.Span.........10,80 m (35.4 ft)
3.Wing area..........45,70 m² (492 sq ft)
4.Length...............15,27 m (33.8 ft)
5.Height................5,34 m (17,4 ft)
6.Weight :
7.Empty................10-tonne class
8.Max...................24 500 kg (54,000 lb)
9.Fuel (internal)....4 700 kg (10,350 lb)
10.Fuel (external).....7 500 kg (16,500 lb)
11.Max external capability...........9 500 kg (20,950 lb)
12.External store stations :
13.Total................................................................14
14.Heavy stores & fuel "wet" stations..................5
15.Performance :
16.Load factor............+9g/-3.2g
17.Max speed...............M 1.8+/750 kts
18.Approach speed.......120 knots
19.Landing distance.......450 m (1,475 ft)
20.Max climb rate...........Over 1.000 ft/sec
21.Operational ceiling...........55 000 ft
Radius of action (penetration mission).....More than 1.000 nautical miles
Combat air patrol loiter time.......................................Over 3 hours
June 1982 –
Dassault announced it was developing a successor to the Mirage 2000.
On 13 April 1983, France awarded Dassault a contract for two Avion de Combat experimental (ACX) demonstrators later revised down to one.
The resultant Rafale A technology demonstrator was a large-delta winged fighter, with all-moving foreplanes, embodying fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system.
December 1985 – The technology demonstrator was rolled out
The Rafale was first unveiled at the St. Cloud plant, in 1985
December 1992 – Production of Aircraft started
December 2004 –
The Armee de l'Air received its first three Rafale Bs
Rafale the aircraft can operate from 400-metre (1,300 ft) runways.
The Rafale entered into service with French Navy in December 2000, and with the French Air Force in 2004
Rafale B and C entered service with the French Air Force in June 2006
"Rafale C", with C standing for chasseur (fighter)
"Rafale B" , with B standing for biplace, or two-seater.
The RAFALE, a fully “omnirole” fighter, is available in three distinct variants:
1.Single-seat RAFALE C for combat operations from land bases
2.Single-seat RAFALE M for carrier operations
3.Two-seat RAFALE B for combat operations from land bases
These three variants all share a common airframe and a common weapon / mission system, the differences between naval and land versions being mainly limited to the undercarriage and to the arresting hook, at the rear of the fuselage.
The RAFALE features a delta wing with close-coupled canards.
Advanced weapons –
The RAFALE has been cleared to operate with the following weapons:
MICA, air-to-air interception, combat and self-defence BVR missiles (“beyond visual range”), in their IR (heat-seeking) and EM (active radar homing) versions,
AASM stand-off, modular & propelled, air-to-ground precision guided weapons, with inertial/GPS & inertial/GPS/infra-red guidance kits, or with the future inertial/GPS/laser guidance variant.
SCALP long-range stand-off missiles,
EXOCET anti-ship missiles,
Laser-guided bombs,
Conventional air-to-ground ordnance,
An internal gun,
The upcoming METEOR extreme long-range air-to-air missile,
Customer-selected weapons.
The RAFALE's stores management system is Mil-Std-1760 compliant and interoperable. As such, it considerably facilitates the integration of customer-selected weapons.
With its ten tonne empty weight, the RAFALE is fitted with 14 hard points (13 on the RAFALE M).
Five of them are capable of drop tanks and heavy ordnance.
Total external load capacity is more than nine tonnes (20,000 lbs.).
Buddy-buddy refuelling missions can be carried out into portions of the airspace out of reach of dedicated and vulnerable tanker aircraft.
All versions of the RAFALE are fitted with the Nexter 30 M 791 high-power 30-mm gun, capable of firing 2,500 rounds per minute.
With its outstanding load-carrying capability and its state-of-the-art weapon / mission system, the RAFALE can carry out both ground attacks and air-to-air combats and interceptions during the same sortie.
It is also capable of performing multiple functions at the same time, such as “beyond visual range” (BVR) air-to-air firings during the very-low-altitude, terrain-following penetration phase.
This gives the RAFALE impressively broad “omnirole” capabilities, along with an extremely high degree of survivability.
An advanced digital fly-by-wire (FBW) control system controls longitudinal stability. The FBW system is quadruple redundant with three digital channels and one separately designed analog channel. Design independence between channels is pivotal in preventing anomalies simultaneously affecting several channels.
The M88-2 turbofan is a new-generation engine featuring state-of-the-art technologies, including non-polluting combustion chamber, single-crystal turbine blades and powder metallurgy disks, etc. It also features the latest advances in reducing electromagnetic and infrared signatures.
The RBE2 / AESA radar - Active Electronically Scanned Array
The RAFALE is the first operational - and, so far, the only - European combat aircraft to use an electronic scanning radar. Developed by Thales, the RBE2 radar has benefited from a massive research effort and from Thales’ unmatched know-how based on past experience. Compared to radars with conventional antennas, unprecedented levels of situational awareness are attained with earlier detection and tracking of multiple targets.
With its superior beam agility and its enormous computing power, the RBE2 offers outstanding performance that cannot be replicated by mechanical scanning radars.
With the advent of “Tranche 4”, aircraft which are due to enter service from 2013, the RAFALE fighters will be fitted with an active electronic scanning array (AESA) which will provide a wide range of functions:
All-aspect look-down and look-up detection and tracking of multiple air targets for close combat and long-range interception, in all weathers and in jammed environment.
The RBE2 also has ability to track targets in or out of the search domain, the ultimate advantage in air combat.
Real time generation of three-dimensional maps for terrain-following above uncharted terrain in blind conditions. The RAFALE is the sole aircraft to currently propose such a function.
Real time generation of high resolution 2D ground maps for navigation updates and detection, identification and designation of ground targets.
Detection and tracking of multiple naval targets.
In those circumstances when absolute discretion is the most relevant tactical factor, the RAFALE can rely on several other sensor systems:
2 - The Front-Sector Optronics (FSO)
Developed by Thales and Sagem, the Front Sector Optronics (FSO) system is fully integrated into the aircraft. Operating in the optronic wavelengths, it is immune to radar jamming and it provides covert long-range detection and identification, high resolution multi-target angular tracking and laser range-finding for air, sea and ground targets.
With its narrow field, the visible waveband capability is truly valuable to identify targets in situations where visual contact is required by the rules of engagement.
3 - The SPECTRA - internal electronic warfare suite
Jointly developed by Thales and MBDA, the internal SPECTRA electronic warfare system provides the aircraft with the highest survivability asset against the latest airborne and ground threats. The SPECTRA EW system provides a multi-spectral threat warning capability against hostile radars, missiles and lasers.
It is fully integrated into the aircraft, giving it excellent survivability against both air and ground threats.
The SPECTRA system carries out reliable long-range detection, identification and localisation of threats, allowing the pilot to instantly select the most effective defensive measures based on combinations of radar jamming, infrared or radar decoying and evasive manoeuvres.
The angular localisation performance of the SPECTRA sensors makes it possible to accurately locate ground threats to either avoid them, or target them for destruction with precision guided munitions.
With its outstanding localisation capabilities of airborne threats, the SPECTRA suite is a key system used to ameliorate situational awareness.
Instrumental in SPECTRA's performance is a threat library that can be easily defined, integrated and updated on short notice by users in their own country.
4 - The real-time Data-Link
A secure high-rate Data-Link is provided to share data in combined air operations with other friendly assets, i.e. other aircraft in the formation, airborne and surface command and control centres, forward air controllers, etc.
The RAFALE’s interoperability as part of a multinational operation has been demonstrated on countless occasions, and NATO (L16) as well as non-NATO solutions can be provided to meet various customers' requirements.
5 - The DAMOCLES - new generation laser designation pod
The new generation DAMOCLES laser designator pod designed by Thales, brings full day and night laser designation capability to the RAFALE, with metric precision.
The IR sensor of the DAMOCLES pod operates in the mid-wave infrared band, allowing it to retain its effectiveness in warm and / or humid conditions. DAMOCLES is interoperable with all existing laser-guided weapons.
6 - The AREOS - Recce pod - with in real-time transmission
The AREOS reconnaissance pod developed by Thales allows day and night photography at all altitudes, with the capability of instantaneous transmission in flight of the photos to a ground station.
The remarkable overall performance of its sensors for stand-off reconnaissance at extreme ranges means that AREOS can be considered as a pre-strategic asset.
The core of these enhanced capabilities of the RAFALE lies in a new Modular Data Processing Unit (MDPU). It is composed of up to 19 flight line-replaceable modules (LRUs), 18 of them providing each a processing power 50 times higher than that of the fighters of previous generation.
The MDPU, which is composed of commercial-off-the-shelf elements, is the cornerstone of the avionics / weapon upgradeability of the RAFALE.
Sensor data fusion provides a link between the global battlespace surrounding the aircraft and the pilot's brain with its unique ability to grasp the outcome of tactical situations and make sensible decisions.
It hinges on the computing power of the MDPU to process data from the RBE2 AESA radar, the front sector optronic system, the SPECTRA EW system, the IFF, the infrared missile seekers and the Data-Link (L16 or custom).
1- Multi-sensor data fusion
Implementation of the multi-sensor data fusion on the RAFALE translates into accurate, reliable and strong tracks, uncluttered displays, reduced pilot workload, quicker pilot response, and eventually into increased situational awareness.
It is automatically carried out in three steps:
1. Establishing consolidated trackfiles and refining primary information provided by the sensors.
2. Overcoming individual sensor limitations related to wavelength / frequency, field of regard, angular and distance resolution, etc, by sharing track information received from the sensors.
3. Assessing the confidence level of consolidated tracks, suppressing redundant track symbols and decluttering the displays
Watch the video showing and performing Dassault Rafale - Multi-role Fighter of France
AT THE AERO INDIA 2011.Dassault Rafale FULL PERFORMANCE
Suggested Reading –
MMRCA Deal Timeline of India's $10.4-billion tender for 126 advanced combat aircraft.
http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/mmrca-deal-timeline-of-indias-104.html
Reality Views by sm-
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Source - http://www.dassault-aviation.com
Keyword Tag – Rafale Multirole Fighter MMRCA Contender Fighter
No comments:
Post a Comment