Rafale Web documentary

The official French Air Force Rafale Web documentary
For 17" monitor (or smaller) switch to full screen with the F11 key.

Saint Dizier Air Base Air Show

Next saturday and Sunday June17-18th, The Saint Dizier Air Base will be the place to be ! Don't miss this 2 days air show taking place right in the Rafale's nest !

AEROBATIC TEAMS : French Aerobatic Team, Red Arrows, Royal Jordanian Falcons Team, Breitling Jet Team, REVA team, EVAA

FIGTHERS : Mirage 2000N, Rafale, F-18, F-16 (and many more on the static display)

LEGENDARY AIRCRAFT : Stearman, MS-317, Piper L4, T-28, T6, Morane 406, Acroeze, Vampire, Falco F8L, Pionner 300, CM-170, Fouga Magister, MS-733

CHOPPERS : Fennec MASA ( with a DR400 ), Gazelle, Bell-47, EC-135

Thales RBE-2 AESA mystery

The mystery surrounding the RBE-2 AESA number of modules is thickening since this new picture of the radar was published in the last issue of Air & Cosmos. The photo shows what seems to be the actual trial radar next to the Mirage 2000 B501 which serves as a test bench for the RBE-2 AESA.

For about a year, several official pictures of this radar have been published showing an antenna with less than 850 modules whereas Thales advertises more than 1000 modules. Interrestingly, the antenna presented on this new picture has been blurried to prevent any counting.

Mirage 2000 B501 - ©JL Guérin

2 Flying test benchs are used by the CEV (French flight test center) for the AESA antenna trials : The Mirage 2000 B501 and the Mystere-XX 104. Both are fitted with a Rafale radome and speciphic avionics.

As reported by Air & Cosmos the final qualification of the new AESA radar is espected in August- early september (about 20 validation flights remaining).

Also read : Thales aesa RBE-2 modules pattern

Myster-XX 104 - © DR

Cols Bleus magazine special CdG issue

You can read the last issue of Cols Bleu Magazine here (or pdf here). This special issue is dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the CdG entry into operational service.
(in French)

Also read : CdG, 10 years of active service

Rafale M14 diverted to Malta

©Simone Farrugia - Luqa, Malta June 8th 2011

The Rafale M14 landing at Luqa Airport, Malta, on June 8th 2011 with live mica missiles and reco-NG pod. This Rafale is usualy operating from the CdG to enforce the no fly zone over Libya. It may have encountered a technical problem forcing it to make an emergency diversion to Malta.

edit : Apparently the plane just made a simulated approach and didn't land. Then, it probably returned to the CdG. (see Malteserfred commentary)

Rafale pictures of the day

Rafale M30 ©Walter - Ferte Alais June 2011

Rafale M30 ©Gregoire Delatte - Ferté Alais June 2011

Royal Navy pilots to fly the Rafale soon ?

Apparently, the next step of the British-French bilateral defense agreements is to send Royal Navy pilots onboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier where they will fly on the Rafale M.

The news is reported by the Telegraph, June 12th :

[...] The first five of 30 Royal Navy pilots have begun French language training at the defence college in Paris before they join the carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, where they will fly Rafale jets.

They will spend 16 weeks studying French so that they are able to communicate with their colleagues on board the vessel.

While they will wear their own uniforms they will sleep, eat and work alongside French fighter pilots, in what has been described as a major test of co-operation for the two Navies. [...]

This is indeed a major boost for the cooperation between the to Navies which are more than ever suffering budget cuts.
While the Royal Navy is intended to receive her first CVF around 2018, the British F-35C will most probably not be fully available before the end of the decade. It is therefore crucial for the British pilots to maintain their skills as far as general carrier operations are concerned. They will also gain valuable experience regarding the specific handling of a modern CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery) fighter which is launched and recovered the same way as the F-35C.

If the French Navy situation is brighter on the fighter side (2nd Rafale M squadron to be operational this summer), the CdG still doesn't have a sistership to supplement her when she is in dry dock for scheduled maintenance period (which is 1.5 years every 7 years to replace the nuclear fuel). As a result, the French Navy pilots will also need a back up carrier around 2016-2018 to keep training. Logically, they will most probably do so on the brand new Queen Elisabeth CVF carrier alongside their British colleagues, all flying Rafale M fighter jets.

Also read : The British Rafale fairy tale