Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Rafale : STOBAR compatible

News revealed by Mer et Marine.com :


After several simulations conducted by Dassault, the Rafale is able, with no modification, to take-off from a ski-jump carrier.

Obviously, they have something in mind for the Indian Navy, since India is the only country equiped with such a carrier to which we would sell Rafale.

© WorldMaritimeNews.com

Monday, June 25, 2012

Weapons integration update


Today, Jean-Marc Tanguy learned us that the Armée de l'Air is experimenting single-pilot procedures for the GBU-24 with the Rafale.


This work should be finalized in the coming days.

While some questioned the weapons integration works on Rafale, several articles in previous months revealed that GBU-49, AM-39, and GBU-24 integration were in fact quite advanced...

So, both GBU should be in service or will be in a few days, and we are still waiting for the qualification firing of AM-39.


Meanwhile, the Armée de l'Air talks about the first evaluation firing of the ASMP-A by a Rafale, after a 5 hours long flight, refueling, terrain following, etc. Successful, of course.



It is worth considering that while our first nuclear strike aircraft relied on 30 minutes of Mach 2 cruise to succeed, Mirage 2000N relied on terrain following, and Rafale improves this with a credible self-defence capability : while carrying its ASMP-A, Rafale still brings 6 Mica.

The Neu-Neu is now active

Today, during the morning, the General Jean-Paul Palomeros reactivated the legendary EC 2/30 Normandie-Niemen, on the Mont-de-Marsan airbase.

The Rafale is the squadron's twelfth fighter type, after Yak-1, Yak-3, Yak-9, De Havilland Mosquito, P-63 King Cobra, F-6F Hellcat,  P-47 Thunderbolt, SE-535 Mistral, SO-4050 Vautour, and Mirage F1C and F1CT.

http://rc230-normandieniemen.com/

Reminder :
http://rafalenews.blogspot.fr/2012/04/normandie-niemen.html