The Rafale, the French omnirole fighter, is one of the best combat aircraft of today.
Indeed, its capabilities are highly impressive. But, this French beauty has quite strong competitors,
such as the F-35 Lightning II, Eurofighter Typhon, and JAS-39 Gripen. As the Weapon Detective,
we are investigating the Rafale, the French école of the fighter.
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The Rafale has not achieved the commercial success as its ancestor, the legendary Mirage
series, had. Still, in recent years, the aircraft has become the rising star in the international
market. Its journey and the omnirole concept are one of the most exciting military aviation
stories of our days. In the 1970s, France anticipated that the
Jaguars of the air force, as well as the Super Étendards and F-8 Crusaders of the navy,
would become obsolete in the 1990s. So, Paris decided to work on a new fighter.
Initially, France was keen to work together with Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Yet,
the spirit of the European fellowship did not last long. The participant countries had
different needs and interests. During the discussion on this multinational partnership,
the Germans and the Brits had proposed a highly controversial tasks distribution for the French.
The UK would be responsible for technical direction, Germany for industrial management,
Italy for financial management, and Spain for negotiating contracts. France, which was
planning to order 50 per cent more aircraft than Germany or the UK, would have an honorary
presidency in the consortium. This is not a favourable offer for the French
aviation industry, especially for Dassault. In those years, the Germans and the Brits
still thought old school. They had brand-new Tornadoes for the ground attack missions.
So, these two countries were essentially interested in an air superiority fighter.
However, the French needed a multi-role fighter. Also, only the French Navy required a ship-based
variant of this new combat aircraft, but the other was not eager to spend money for it.
The first examples of the joint European aviation programmes, like Jaguar and Tornado, had not
been successful in the international market as the French Mirage.
According to Marcel Dassault, this programme would cause for 80 per cent loss of profit
and the bankruptcy of the national aviation industry. Along with other factors, his lobbying
efforts paid off. In 1985, France decided to leave the consortium
and began to Rafale Programme. The first prototype, called Rafale A, made
its first flight on July 4, 1986, as a technology demonstrator. This aircraft was equipped with
General Electric F404-GE-400 after-burning turbofans, which were also used on the F/A-18
Hornet. Because the current engine of the Rafale,
the M88, was not considered ready for the initial trials at that time.
In 1990, the M88 was ready and replaced the F404.
After that, the Rafale A managed to reach Mach 1.4 and demonstrate its supercruise capability.
The single-seat operational air force variant of the aircraft, the Rafale C, made its first
flight on May 19, 1991. Two years later, the two-seat variant, the
Rafale B, met the skies for the first time. The production variant was some differences
from the demonstrator even they have very similar appearances. The Rafale C is smaller
and it has more stealthy design. Also, it has built by using extensive radar-absorbent
and composite materials. The Rafale C has no variable engine inlets
and a dedicated air brake. This desicion has help to reduce the weight
even more, which is already less than the Rafale A variant, due to using of composite
materials. Also, it has reduced the maintenance requirements.
To increase the stealth, the muzzle of the 30mm M791 cannon has a cover. When the first
round is fired, this cover is broken. Initially, the Rafale B was developed as a
two-seat combat-capable training variant. But, after the 1991 Gulf War, the French Air
Force realized that a second crew member makes aircraft more effective on especially strike
and reconnaissance missions. So, France ordered more Rafale B than the
initial plan. The first prototype of the naval variant,
Rafale M, made its first flight on December 12, 1991. The trails on the aircraft carrier
began in 2001. Initially, the Rafale M was not favourable in the French Navy because
it would be delivered too late to replace its F-8 Crusaders.
The naval staff even considered acquiring F/A-18 from the USA.
Yet, due to the ending of the First Cold War, the need the replacing carrier-based air superiority
fighter fleet lost its urgency. So, Dassault gained a chance to continue working
on the Rafale M. But, the ending of the First Cold War brought a serious problem too.
In this new era, because of budget cuts and changing operational needs, the delivery of
the Rafales experienced delays. At first, France had expected to receive its new fighters
in 1996. But, the M variant could become operational in 2001.
The Rafale could enter the French Air Force service in 2006.
The first production models of the Rafales were the naval variant. These aircraft were
defined as the F1 standard. They had only air-to-air combat capability. After the French
Navy had received enough amount of F2 standard Rafale Ms, it stored nine of them and continued
to operate one for flight tests. Between 2014 and 2018, all 10 Rafale M F1s were upgraded
to F3 standards, and they have returned to service.
The F2 standard Rafales began to enter the service in 2005. Different from the previous
models, these aircraft can launch the SCALP-EG cruise missiles, AASM precision-guided munition,
MICA IR air-to-air missiles. They have Link 16 data link, OSF infrared
search and track system, and new advanced avionics. All F2 standard Rafales have been
upgraded to the F3 standard. Different from previous models, the F3 standard
Rafales have the RBE2-AA active electronically scanned array radar, OSF-IT infrared search
and track system, and M88-4E turbofan engines. They also have nuclear strike and Meteor long-range
air-to-air missile launch capabilities. The range of RBE2-AA is 50 per cent longer
than the previous RBE2 passive electronically scanned multi-mode radar.
The OSF-IT has better detection capability than the OSF.
The modular M88-E4 is allowing a reduction in the cost of maintenance with a lifespan
increased by up to 50 per cent. Also, the F3 standard Rafales have other advanced
systems such as a new infrared missile warning receiver and the Damocles targeting pod, which
is now replaced by the Talios pod. Currently, France is planning to have the
latest F4 standard Rafales, starting with 2025. This variant will have a new helmet-mounted
display. It will also have an artificial intelligence system, which will allow the RECO NG system
to directly identify the elements of interest. This new feature will improve the reconnaissance
capability of the aircraft. Today, an educated military person can evaluate a 10 square kilometres
area in about 1 hour. Artificial intelligence will be able to evaluate a 3,000 square kilometres
area at this time. The F4 standard aircraft will have more advanced communication systems.
The ground mode of the RBE2AA active electronically scanned array radar will be improved. The
OSF-IT infrared search and track system and SPECTRA electronic warfare system will be
updated. The new Rafales will be able to launch the
MICA NG air-to-air missiles, designed against stealthy targets.
In the beginning, the performance of Rafale in the international market was not satisfactory.
The aircraft lost the tenders, such as in Brazil, Kuwait, Oman, South Korea, and Singapore.
Because in the early 2000s the Rafale was not mature yet. Also, Dassault had not been
as successful as its competitors in meeting the demands of potential customers for industrial
cooperation. Besides, in those years, this company was
quite satisfied with the performance of the Falcon series business jet in the international
market and focusing on the civil market was economically more feasible.
And, the USA and the UK had more influences on these many potential customers.
Yet, after the success in Egypt and India, the Rafale has broken a leg and become the
rising star of the market. Croatia, Egypt, France, Greece, India, and
Qatar preferred the aircraft. The Rafale C has a length of 15.27 metres,
a wingspan of 10.9 metres, and a height of 5.34 metres. Its wing area is 45.7 square
metres. The empty weight of the aircraft is 9,850 kilograms, while its maximum takeoff
weight is 24,500 kilograms. Two 75 kiloNewton Snecma M88-4E after-burning turbofan engines
provide a maximum speed of Mach 1.8. It can climb an altitude of 15,835 metres, in other
words, 51,952 feet. The aircraft can reach a range of 3,700 kilometres. The Rafale's
combat radius is 1,850 kilometres. The aircraft has one 30mm M791 autocannon and fourteen
hardpoints. The Rafale can carry the Magic II, MICA, and Meteor air-to-air missiles,
Apache, Exocet AM39, AS-30L, ASMP-A, SCALP-EG air-to-surface missiles, as well as different
types of bombs. As an omnirole fighter, the Rafale can efficiently
perform air supremacy, interdiction, reconnaissance, ground support, depth strike, anti-surface
warfare, suppression of enemy air defences, electronic intelligence, nuclear deterrence
and air refuelling duties. Its agility is superb. The aircraft uses digital
fly-by-wire flight controls. Thanks to its canards, the Rafale has high manoeuvrability
at both low altitudes and low speed. Even at the high angles of attack, the pilot does
not experience control loss. By using the voice command, the Rafale pilots
can control radio communications, countermeasures systems, and navigational functions and select
the armament and radar modes. The Rafale is not a multi-role or swing-role
but an omnirole fighter. Well, what is the omnirole concept?
In its simplest form, a multi-role fighter is a combat aircraft designed to perform only
one specific mission, such as air superiority or ground attack, in a single sortie. Before
the flight, it is equipped with the payload, which is specific for one mission.
A swing-role fighter can be equipped with different types of armament and mission equipment
before the sortie. During the flight, a swing-role fighter can easily adopt the tactical situation
and switch to different missions. Dassault claims that different from the swing-role
combat aircraft, the omnirole Rafale can perform all of these different types of duties at
once. In a single sortie, it can intercept the incoming enemy aircraft from a long distance,
perform a dogfight in close range, jam and suppress the enemy air defence, strike a ground
or sea target, and take reconnaissance photos. Yet, there are some catches here. First of
all, the multiple engagements in a single sortie are not preferable for the pilots.
The first engagement is psychologically and physically exhausting enough for the pilots,
which dramatically reduces their performance for a second engagement. Also, during the
training, the pilots generally specialize in one specific mission, such as ground attack
or air combat. A person cannot expertize at all tasks. For this reason, it is unrealistic
to expect a pilot in a single sortie to perform an interception mission at long-range first,
then suppress the enemy air defence, strike the target, and engage in a dogfight with
incoming enemy aircraft in the meantime. To solve this problem, the French Air Force
has acquired more the two-seat Rafale than the initial plan. So, while the pilot can
focus on the air threats, the second crew member can pay attention to other missions,
such as the ground attack, suppression of enemy air defences, or reconnaissance.
The Rafale has not experienced a serious problem in real combat yet. So, we have to talk about
the second catch. There were no severe adversaries against the French in these battles.
Even the large Syrian Arab Air Force was not a real threat.
If we look at the other Rafale users, we can easily see that they do not have the same
advantages. The well trained and big Pakistan Air Force
may be a tougher competitor for the Indian Rafales.
Like the Turkish Air Force for the Greeks. The Egyptian Rafales absolutely cannot act
like the French ones on the Israeli airspace. So, the omnirole capability of the Rafale
may lose its effect in such scenarios. But, today, no one is expecting a full-scale
war between these countries. Limited clashes may occur. In that case, the omnirole capability
of the Rafale would be decisive. Also, the Rafale has similar swing-role and
multi-role capabilities to the other modern aircraft. So, in a full-scale war, the aircraft
would be still superbly effective. The Rafale is less stealthy than the F-35.
Yet, due to its highly advantageous electronic warfare capability, it would be a mistake
to underestimate this French beauty. It is more versatile than the Lightning II and Eurofighter
Typhoon. The aircraft is more budget-friendly to operate
than its American rival. It is more advantageous than the Gripen.
This situation makes the aircraft more and more attractive in the international market
day by day. No doubt, it is one of the most capable combat aircraft currently available.
And, the omnirole concept has proved itself in relatively low-intensity conflicts. So,
it would be not surprising to see the Rafale with its new commercial success in the future.
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