The origins of the RAFALE can be traced to joint discussions between European nations taking place in the early eighties. But in the wake of the tri-national Tornado program which had put the most emphasis on air-to-surface functions, it soon appeared that the prime requirement of participating nations other than France was predominantly on the air-to-air side.
The French Forces wanted a balanced multi-role aircraft that would be able to replace 7 types of aircraft around 2000-2010 :
1. Jaguar (air-to-ground attack), 2. Super-Etendard (carrier-based air-to-ground attack), 3. Crusader (carrier-based air cover of the naval group), 4. Mirage F1 (multi-role), 5. Mirage 2000 C (air defence), 6. Mirage 2000 N and D (precision strike/interdiction with conventional and nuclear weapons), 7. Mirage 4 (nuclear strike and recce),
Two of the types to be replaced had to be carrier-based with all the resulting implications in terms of force projection capability: fast-deployed, self-supporting and lethal with limited size.
This was the rational that eventually led to the decision by the French industry and Government to go it alone on RAFALE and provide it with distinctive features tuned to world-wide - opposed to strictly West European - market expectations.
Variants
Rafale A A technology demonstrator that first flew in 1986. It has now been retired.
Rafale D Dassault used this designation (D for discret or stealthy) in the early 1990s for the production versions for the Armée de l'Air, to emphasise the new semi-stealthy features they had added to the design.
Rafale B This is the two-seater version for the Armée de l'Air; delivered to EC 330 in 2004.
Rafale C This is the single-seat version for the Armée de l'Air; delivered to EC 330 in June 2004.
Rafale M This is the carrier-borne version for the Aéronavale, which entered service in 2002. The Rafale M weighs about 500 kg (1,100 lb) more than the Rafale C. Very similar to the Rafale C in appearance, the M differs in the following respects:
* Strengthened to withstand the rigors of carrier-based aviation * Stronger landing gear * Longer nose gear leg to provide a more nose-up attitude for catapult launches * Deleted front centre pylon (to give space for the longer gear) * Large stinger-type tailhook between the engines * Built-in power operated boarding ladder * Carrier microwave landing system * "Telemir" inertial reference platform that can receive updates from the carrier systems.
Rafale N
The Rafale N, originally called the Rafale BM, was planned to be a two-seater version for the Aéronavale. Budget constraints and the cost of training extra crew members have been cited as the grounds for its cancellation.
General characteristics
* Crew: 1–2 * Length: 15.27 m (50.1 ft) * Wingspan: 10.80 m (35.4 ft) * Height: 5.34 m (17.5 ft) * Wing area: 45.7 m² (492 ft²) * Empty weight: 9,500 kg (C), 9,770 kg (B), 10,196 kg (M) () * Max takeoff weight: 24,500 kg (C/D), 22,200 kg (M) (54,000 lb) * Powerplant: 2× Snecma M88-2 turbofans o Dry thrust: 50.04 kN (11,250 lbf) each o Thrust with afterburner: 75.62 kN with M88-Eco >90 kN after 2010 (17,000 lbf) each
Performance
* Maximum speed: o High altitude: Mach 2 (2,390 km/h, 1,290 knots) o Low altitude: 1,390 km/h, 750 knots * Range: 3,700+ km (2,000+ nmi) * Combat radius: 1,852+ km (1,000+ nmi) on penetration mission * Service ceiling: 16,800 m (55,000 ft) * Rate of climb: 304.8+ m/s (1,000+ ft/s) * Wing loading: 326 kg/m² (83 1/3 lb/ft²) * Thrust/weight: 1.13
Armament
* Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GIAT 30/719B cannon with 125 rounds * Missiles: o Air-to-air: + MICA IR/EM or + Magic II and in the future + MBDA Meteor o Air-to-ground: + MBDA Apache or + SCALP EG or + AASM or + GBU-12 Paveway II or + AM 39 Exocet or + ASMP-A nuclear missile
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
