DASSAULT RAFALE LATEST FIGHTER JET OF INDIA.

July 31, 2020 By Swapnil Suryawanshi

Dassault Rafale

Multirole fighter aircraft :

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation.

Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation Trending Program cost: €45.9 billion (as of FY2013) (US$62.7 billion)Number built: 201 as of 2019National origin: France Primary users: French Air Force; French Navy; Egyptian Air Force; Qatar Air Force; Indian Air Force Role: Multirole fighter.

How many Rafale fighters India have :

India had bought 36 twin-engine fighter planes from Dassault Rafale for an estimated Rs 58,000 crore, through an inter-governmental agreement signed in 2016.

French Air Force

Formation of five Rafales making a flypast in 2006

How good is the Rafale fighter :

As per IAF experts, Rafale holds major superiority over J20 in terms of engine, combat capabilities, higher weapon load, battle experience and lethal missile power. “Rafale is far superior to the J 20, the Chengdu fighter of China.

Why Rafale is the best fighter :

It has multi-directional radar which can detect 40 targets at the same time in a range of over 100 kms. – It has Spectra, an integrated defence aid system which can jam or counter-jam enemy radar signals. – In a dogfight between Rafale and F-16, Rafale has an edge since it can load more weapons than F-16s.

Is Rafale better than f16 :

F-16 is single engine fighter jet whereas Rafale is twin engine fighter jet which gives more reliability. Rafale has many advantages compare to F-16 like AESA Radar, BVR Missiles with larger range , A to G Scalp Missile , A to A Mica or Meteor missile.

Rafale

A French Air Force Dassault Rafale B at RIAT in 2009
Role	Multirole fighter
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
First flight	Rafale A demo: 4 July 1986 Rafale C: 19 May 1991
Introduction	18 May 2001
Status	In service
Primary users	French Air Force French Navy Egyptian Air Force Qatar Air Force
Produced	1986–present
Number built	201 as of 2019
Program cost	€45.9 billion (as of FY2013) (US$62.7 billion)
Unit cost	Rafale B: €74M (flyaway cost, FY2013) Rafale C: €68.8M (flyaway cost, FY2013) Rafale M: €79M (flyaway cost, FY2011)

Development

Origins

In the mid-1970s, both the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) and Navy (Marine Nationale) had requirements for a new generation of fighters to replace those in or about to enter service. Because their requirements were similar, and to reduce cost, both departments issued a common request for proposal. In 1975, the French Ministry of Aviation initiated studies for a new aircraft to complement the upcoming and smaller Dassault Mirage 2000, with each aircraft optimised for differing roles.

A two-seater Rafale B during aerial refueling .

Testing

A two-seater Rafale B during aerial refueling :

To meet the various roles expected of the new aircraft, the Air Force required two variants: the single-seat “Rafale C” (chasseur, meaning “fighter” or literally “hunter”) and the “Rafale B” (biplace, or two-seater). The prototype of the C model (designated C01) completed its first flight on 19 May 1991, signalling the start of a test programme which primarily aimed to test the M88-2 engines, man-machine interface and weapons, and expand the flight envelope. Due to budget constraints, the second single-seat prototype was never built.

Design

Overview

The Rafale was developed as a modern jet fighter with a very high level of agility; Dassault chose to combine a delta wing with active close-coupled canard to maximize manoeuvrability. The aircraft is capable of withstanding from −3.6g to 9g (10.5g on Rafale solo display and a maximum of 11g can be reached in case of emergency). The Rafale is an aerodynamically unstable aircraft and uses digital fly-by-wire flight controls to artificially enforce and maintain stability.