Dassault's 'Omnirole' Rafale Returns,
It's Mission Is the Asian Marketplace

There are some advanced looking combat aircraft parked around the Show this week, but gently tap them with your knuckle and you will hear the unmistakable sound of hollow plastic and hardboard. The Rafale is a different matter. It's not a mock-up; it's metal (and a good bit of carbon fiber); it's flying daily in the capable hands of test pilot Eric Gerard; it's in service in its home country, France; and it's available for export to local air forces right now.

Teaching English-speakers a bit about their own language, the French have deemed the Dassault Rafale to be an 'omnirole' fighter-clearly a cut above the common-or-garden multirole machine which the competition offers.

Since the last Asian Aerospace, what was the next-generation fighter for both the French Air Force and Naval Aviation has become the current-generation machine, at least with the latter service. The first squadron received its initial two aircraft in December 2000, soon afterwards making a short deployment to the equally new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to demonstrate its upgraded capability in an operational exercise.

The Rafale program, says Dassault, is alive and well: on track with regard to performance, budget and scheduled operational capability. That is only just now true, for French government defense funding restrictions kept orders to a trickle throughout the 1990s. However, a further substantial contract last December means a more healthy total of 61 aircraft currently in firm order out of 294 to which the French forces are committed.

Additionally, in the past year Rafale has received funding towards upgrades which will enhance the baseline model now is service. The so-called F2 development contract includes numerous additional weapon and sensor options, while the decision to develop the Dash 3 version of Snecma M88 reheated turbofan will add a further 20% of power to the twin-engined aircraft.

RBE2 radar is now down for upgrading with an electronically-scanned antenna, but the most visible change effected in recent months has been the test flight last April of conformal fuel tanks. Located on each side of the aircraft's spine, these provide up to 25% additional range while not taking up weapon space below the wings. In fact, while carrying a total of 2,300 liters of fuel, they generate less drag than a single conventional drop-tank. In a further test last year, a Rafale demonstrated the MIDS L16 airborne datalink by combining its inputs with those of the aircraft's own sensors.

As of now, the manufacturer has delivered eight Rafale Ms to the French Navy and two land-based versions for Air Force trials. Clearly, in the matter of Asian fighter requirements, Dassault is throwing down the gauntlet to the competing Eurofighter Typhoon, which has still to fly in production form and seems unlikely to meet its target date for entry into European service.

By Paul Jackson