Modern-Aviation

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. The Rafale is referred to as an "omnirole" aircraft by Dassault

The french Dassault Rafale comes at No. 5 among the world’s most advanced jet fighters. Designed and built by Dassault Aviation, Rafale is a twin-engine, canard delta-wing, multirole fighter aircraft. Almost entirely built by one country, Rafale is distinct from other European fighters of its era with a high level of legerity, capable of at the same time playing air domination, interdiction, intelligence activity, and mobile nuclear deterrent missions.Maximum speed: 2,130 km/h (1,324 mph) Range: 2,299 mi

Maiden flight: 04 Jul 1986 Length: 50.10 ft Wingspan: 35.43 ft Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation

Rafale B and C entered service with the French Air Force in June 2006, when the first squadron was established. The second air force squadron was set up in 2008. A €3.1bn ($3.89bn) contract to develop the fully capable F3 standard aircraft was awarded to Dassault Aviation (€1.5bn), Snecma (€600m), Thales (€500m) and other French contractors by the French Ministry of Defence in February 2004.
An order for 59 F3 aircraft, 47 for the air force (11 two-seat and 36 single-seat) and 12 (single-seat) for the navy, was placed in December 2004. The Rafale F3 was certified in July 2008. The contract also includes upgrades of the Rafale F2 aircraft.

The first Rafale F3 was delivered to the French Air Force in 2008. In March 2007, three French Air Force and three navy Rafale fighters were deployed in Tajikistan in support of the Nato International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

The French Government ordered 60 additional Rafale aircraft in November 2009. Brazil's Government awarded a $4bn contract to Dassault Aviation in January 2010 to supply 36 Rafale multirole aircraft.

The UAE was expected to acquire the Rafale under a $10bn contract to replace its 60 ageing Mirage fighters. In November 2011, however, the deal came to a standstill when the UAE termed Dassault's price and terms as "uncompetitive". The country is also considering Eurofighter's Typhoon to replace its ageing Mirage fighters.

In February 2012, the Indian Ministry of Defence selected Rafale for the Indian Air Force's MMRCA (medium multirole combat aircraft) programme. The contract is worth approximately $20bn.

Rafale emerged as the preferred aircraft from among various contenders for what is being called the biggest military aviation contract in the world. Its closest contender was Eurofighter's Typhoon.

Under the contract, Dassault will supply 126 Rafale fighters. The first 18 fighters will be supplied by 2015 and the rest will be manufactured in India under a technology transfer to Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). This contract will be the first international supply for Rafale.

The Indian Government finalised a contract in April 2015 for the acquisition of 36 Rafale aircraft. Dassault Aviation signed a sales contract with the Arab Republic of Egypt in February 2015 for the supply of 24 Rafale fighter aircraft.

"The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. Ten aircraft are operational on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier."

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: 10,300 kilograms (22,700 lb) (B)
9,850 kilograms (21,720 lb) (C)
10,600 kilograms (23,400 lb) (M)
Loaded weight: 15,000 kilograms (33,000 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,500 kilograms (54,000 lb) (B/C/D)
Fuel capacity: 4,700 kg (10,400 lb) internal for single-seater (C); 4,400 kg for two-seater (B)
Powerplant: 2 × Snecma M88-2 turbofans
Dry thrust: 50.04 kN (11,250 lbf) each
Thrust with afterburner: 75 kN, 91N with M88-9 (16,860 lbf) each

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
Produced: 1986-present
Number built: 160 (as of July 2017)
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)

Performance
Maximum speed:
High altitude: Mach 1.8 (1,912 km/h, 1,032 knots)
Low altitude: Mach 1.1 (1,390 km/h, 750 knots)
Range: 3,700+ km (2,000+ nmi) with 3 drop tanks
Combat radius: 1,852+ km (1,000+ nmi) on penetration mission with two CFTs (2,300 L),
three tanks (5,700 L), two SCALP-EG and two MICA AAMs.
Service ceiling: 15,235 m (50,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 304.8+ m/s (60,000+ ft/min)
Wing loading: 328 kg/m² (67.1 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.988 (100% fuel, 2 EM A2A missile, 2 IR A2A missile) version B
Maximum g-load: +9/-3.6g (+11g in emergencies)

Armaments
Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GIAT 30/M791 autocannon with 125 rounds
Hardpoints: 14 for Air Force versions (Rafale B/C), 13 for Navy version (Rafale M) with a capacity of 9,500 kg (20,900 lb) external fuel and ordnance and provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles:
Air-to-air:
Magic II
MBDA MICA IR or EM
MBDA Meteor in the future
Air-to-ground:
MBDA Apache
MBDA Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG
AASM-Hammer (SBU-38/54/64)
GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-22 Paveway III, GBU-24 Paveway III, GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II
AS-30L
Mark 82
Air-to-surface:
MBDA AM 39-Exocet anti-ship missile
Nuclear Deterrence:
ASMP-A nuclear missile
Other:
Thales Damocles targeting pod
Thales AREOS (Airborne Recce Observation System) reconnaissance pod
Thales TALIOS multi-function targeting pod in the future (F3R Standard)
Up to 5 drop tanks
Buddy-buddy refuelling pod