Rafale DH/EH of Indian Air Force : News and Discussions

Tatvamasi said:
Thats overall rafale production?! i thought it will be touching 30
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The problem is that there is a delay between the moment when it is decided to increase production and the moment when deliveries are made at the rate decided.
It takes three years to see the results of these decisions.
So 2021 deliveries are made at the rate decided in 2018 and 2022 corresponds to the 2019 decisions and in 2019 Dassault's Rafale order book was almost empty.
So 2022 is a low point, 2023 should be at 22 aircraft and 2024 at 33.
We thought this was the maximum possible, but Dassault said it could go up to 55 planes per year, not counting the assembly lines it can install abroad.
 
Ankit Kumar said:
I expect them to sign the deal in 2025.

I hope they sign it in 2023.
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Let's see what happens with the MRCBF tender . The methodology of that procurement should give us a clue as to how the MoD will proceed in the matter . One thing's certain the FAs are required in it's full complement before 2030 as otherwise it makes no sense with TEDBF arriving either early or in the mid 2030s.

Given Dassault's order book is full the only way it can happen is if they undertake MII with the initial 4-6 FAs coming out of the French Navy . In which case assuming current reportage to be true & the IN order is going to be on Dassault , it stands to reason F-18 had to be eliminated in the technical round itself for there's no way an imported F-18 will not be cheaper than a MII Rafale . Even otherwise the Rafales are expensive .

Are you reading this sweetie ? Looks like the Indians pulled off another of their fast ones on Boeing & the Duh-mericans. @Innominate
 
AN artist view of Bhramos under Rafale :
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And here are some word from Marc
Excellent work😎One more info, the engine will also be improved, the M88-2, the reason is simple, this engine is already used as a basis of work at Safran for the Scaf, it is especially the hot parts of the engine which are concerned, indeed the future engine will have to reach and support higher temperatures of the order of a hundred degree higher even more, In fact the research which has already started in the new factory and foundry of Safran with blast furnaces very superior in temperature of materials and various alloys (metals, ceramics, composite) I cannot say more for the moment, the tests like the thermo paints and other having already been carried out successfully thus to reveal with the public. But the surprises are going to be big! This plane is undoubtedly a marvel with a consequent evolutionary potential so let us be patient, I am rather proud to be part of the adventure like many others through the 400 French industrialists who work in addition to the large ones like Dassault, Thales, Safran, Sagem, MBDA, Zodiac, Michelin, etc.....

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
 
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Herciv said:
And here are some word from Marc
Excellent work😎One more info, the engine will also be improved, the M88-2, the reason is simple, this engine is already used as a basis of work at Safran for the Scaf, it is especially the hot parts of the engine which are concerned, indeed the future engine will have to reach and support higher temperatures of the order of a hundred degree higher even more, In fact the research which has already started in the new factory and foundry of Safran with blast furnaces very superior in temperature of materials and various alloys (metals, ceramics, composite) I cannot say more for the moment, the tests like the thermo paints and other having already been carried out successfully thus to reveal with the public. But the surprises are going to be big! This plane is undoubtedly a marvel with a consequent evolutionary potential so let us be patient, I am rather proud to be part of the adventure like many others through the 400 French industrialists who work in addition to the large ones like Dassault, Thales, Safran, Sagem, MBDA, Zodiac, Michelin, etc.....

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
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As the video is in French and has no English subtitles, I have made a translation/transcription with deepl. Here it is:


The Rafale of the future, or the future of the Rafale​



1/ (3:00) Summary of the F3R standard

Since February 2022, all Rafale of the AAE (French Air Force) and the Navy have been equipped with the F3R standard. Compared to the previous standard, the latter includes additional capabilities and software improvements:
  • (3:10) Integration of the BVRAAM METEOR missile. The Rafale can carry two. A "game changer" thanks to its range of 200km and its ramjet which allows it to conserve energy until the end of its trajectory
  • (4:10) integration of the GBU-16 Paveway II
  • (4:28) Integration of the new generation TALIOS targeting pod (and ISR)
  • (5:15) An overview of the TALIOS' capabilities. Watch the Thales Group video:
  • (6:55) integration of the latest generation IFF mod.V (NATO compatible), encrypted. And mod.S for insertion into civilian traffic
  • (7:30) integration of the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS): the aircraft automatically initiates a recovery if it detects that it will impact the ground
  • (8:00) Software improvements have also been made to the RBE2 radar and the SPECTRA suite.

2/ (8:30) The F4.1 standard

  • (8:35) Full qualification is awaited in early 2023, with deliveries to the AAE and the French Navy operational evaluation centres expected shortly afterwards. All in-service Rafales will be upgraded to F4.1, and eventually to F4.2. The goal is to avoid a multiplicity of configurations. The main exception is the RBE2 radar, two variants of which are in service with two types of antennas: PESA (Passive Active Electronically Scanned Array) and AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array).
  • (9:05) The AESA radar significantly improves detection and range. However, the switch to an all AESA inventory has not been approved due to financial constraints.
  • (9:30) The main revolution that the F4 standard will bring is about networked, i.e. collaborative warfare [i.e. location and targeting by third parties].:
  • (9:45) Thanks to the fusion of numerous sensors (L16, SPECTRA, Radar, OSF...) the Rafale will be able to locate with greater precision an air or ground target, in 3D. This multiple aircraft 3D localisation, a kind of collaborative triangulation, will permit an air-to-air and air-to-surface tactical picture to be built automatically, with SPECTRA passively detecting all radar emitters in the area (air or ground). This improvement will allow direct targeting of ground-to-air radars, either by jamming or by firing a munition at specific coordinates from a distance.
  • (10:30) another new feature: a new FMDL (Fighter to Missile Data Link) mode used for third party target designation. The firing Rafale will be able to disengage immediately after the shot, thus remaining at a safe distance, while a less exposed wingman standing further back from the threat will use its own FMDL for targeting.
  • (11:30) New uses and tactics can also be envisaged. For example, a Rafale could be used as a decoy while another one slips in behind the enemy aircraft. The latter would fire its missiles without even turning on its radar and would then clear away. The first Rafale would guide the missiles while remaining at a distance. The enemy would then only realise that missiles had been fired at them when they turned on their radar. Thus, too late to escape. These collaborative combat techniques bring a new way of thinking about air combat.
  • (12:10) The RBE2 (AESA) radar will be equipped with a GMTI (Ground Moving Target Indicator) mode for the detection of targets on the move
  • (12:22) Improvements to the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) used for the creation of high-resolution radar maps.
  • (12:35) integration of the Thales Scorpion helmet-mounted display
  • (13:54) [here, the author makes a little mistake claiming that the TV channel had been removed from de Frontal Sector Optronics, for cost reasons. In fact it was the IR channel].
  • (15:00) Integration of a new Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST) sensor within the Front Sector Optronics (FSO) suite. It will give the Rafale improved IR detection capabilities. Useful to bypass the radar stealth of an aircraft like the J-20/F-35..., which cannot hide its heat signature.
  • (15:47) In the cockpit: Increased processor power, new digital displays of larger dimensions (6.25 x 6.25ins) and higher resolution to display the TALIOS images. The central screen and the HUD give full satisfaction to the crews and therefore do not change.
  • (16:24) New iboard tablet, connected to the aircraft.
  • (16:37) Weapons. Introduction of the 1000kg AASM (aka "Hammer"). The system is purely French (means ITAR free). A choice of three interchangeable seeker types, inertial/GPS, inertial/infrared and inertial/laser, will be available depending on the tactical situation and the level of precision required. Unlike the American Paveway, the Hammer can be equipped with a propulsion kit allowing the aircraft to remain at a safe distance from the target. https://www.defence-point.gr/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ASSM-Hammer-philosophy.jpg
  • (19:15) The SCALP stealth missile has recently been modernised to increase the resistance of its GPS receiver to jamming that could affect the terminal accuracy of the missile.

3/ (19:45) The F4.2 standard

Must further extend Rafale connectivity

  • (19:48) integration of the CONTACT system (Communications numériques tactiques et de théâtre, theatre and tactical digital communications) software radios; a communication server; and an Inmarsat satellite link.
  • (20:00) a new data-link: FO3D (Forme d’Onde 3 Dimensions, or 3D waveform) that will come in addition to the current Link 16.
  • These systems will guarantee various levels of confidentiality, including NATO secret and France secret.
  • (20:20) integration of a digital jamming system. Big evolution of SPECTRA. Currently, Spectra has a radar warning receiver (RWR to detect the threats and a jammer to neutralise them. With the entry into service of the autonomous digital jammer, the jammer itself will also become capable of detecting hostile emitters in addition to the RWR. Spectra will become more reactive and more efficient. It will also be able to neutralise a larger number of threats simultaneously.
  • (21:00) development of the Leurres Électroniques Actifs (LEA, active electronic decoys), ejected from modified Spirale chaff dispensers. They are a sort of small jammers conceived to seduce missiles away from the Rafale
  • (21:35) Mica-NG (2027). Externally, the missile will be identical to the current Mica, as well as in weight and balance. A dual impulse rocket motor will significantly increase the missile’s range. In the final phase of the interception, the second stage of the motor will give some energy back to the missile, leaving no room for the target to evade. The two interchangeable radar and infrared seekers will rely on the latest technologies, AESA for the former and dual band for the latter. They will be more resistant to jamming and decoys. The Mica NG will also be optimised to reduce the pressure on the support infrastructure thanks to a low logistics footprint. Thanks to the opening of the external wing carriage point, the Rafale can carry up to 6 Mica + 2 Meteor
  • (23:12) For the Rafale Marine, integration of a Carrier landing aid, providing guidance clues on the head-up display (this system is very close to the system developed by the Americans for the F/A-18E/F)

3/ (23:35) The F5 standard

For the time being, the F5 standard has not been defined. These are preliminary studies to see what needs to be improved to keep the Rafale up to date until 2060. A few avenues are known:

  • (23:50) The ASN-4G. [4th generation air-to-surface nuclear] will be at the heart of the F5 Standard to guarantee the long term operational credibility of the airborne component of the French nuclear deterrence force.
  • (24:05) Against the most advanced air defence systems (S-500), electronic warfare and SEAD/DEAD mission capabilities will have to be improved.
  • (24:50) CFT (they already exist and have been tested)
  • (25:08) ongoing studies to improve the RBE2 radar* (read bellow) as part of its MLU
  • (25:30) Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology for the future antenna modules* means a more powerful radar, increased detection range, but will also be able to detect stealth fighters at longer distances, and will offer increased resistance to jamming (which is already very effective)
  • (26:40) Studies underway to further reduce the Rafale’s Radar cross-section: for example, stealth pods for certain weapons.
  • (27:10) Reflections underway for the replacement of the SCALP and AM-39 Exocet missiles
  • (27:18) Studies underway with the UK for a new hypersonic or subsonic manoeuvring missile
  • (27:27) METEOR: modernisation…

  • CONCLUSION: the Rafale will not stop evolving, unlike some of its competitors. This is one of the reasons why the aircraft is so attractive on the export market. It is also interesting to see how the success of the export market has made it possible to finance certain improvements (;)) /deepl

—————-
* Future radar and electronic warfare studies (Général Reboul, in Air Force Monthly, jan.2023)
As a follow up to the CARAA (Capacités Accrues pour le Radar RBE2 à Antenne Active, increased capabilities for the active array RBE2 radar) and MELBAA (Modes et Exploitation Large Bande pour l’Antenne Active, wide band exploitation modes for the active array) studies, the scientific and technologic project TARAMMAA (Technologies et Architecture Radar MLU Multivoie à Antenne Active, multichannel, active array radar technologies and architecture mid-life upgrade) was launched in 2019 with the aim of researching innovative technical solutions for the future transmit/receive modules and for the future software and hardware architecture of the next generation of radars.

“The idea behind this project is to reduce risks and continue progressing step by step towards the AESA radar that will eventually replace the current RBE2,” said General Reboul. “In order to do so, we are studying a revolutionary radar architecture, with some of the processing done in the array itself, and not in dedicated processing units. This is ground- breaking technology. Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology will be adopted for the antenna modules to ease the introduction of fully interleaved air-to-air and air-to- surface radar modes.
“When used in conjunction with new algorithms and with new processors that will significantly increase computing powers, these modules will provide exceptional detection ranges and an excellent robustness to jamming.

“The Guerre Électronique Aéro 2025 project will help prepare the next evolution of the F4 and F5 standards of the Rafale’s electronic warfare suite. Within the Rafale programme, investments into the electronic warfare capabilities have always been a key priority, and they still are, to counter emerging and future threats.”
 
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Eh hella pricey, we are doing Tara kit which probably will do similar job, unless aasm hammer is powered.
IAF will still buy some though.
 

La DGA prononce la qualification de la munition AASM 1000 pour l'avion de combat Rafale​

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The DGA declares the qualification of the AASM 1000 munition for the Rafale fighter

At the end of 2022, the DGA declared the qualification of the AASM 1000 GS ammunition (modular air-to-ground weapon of 1,000 kg propelled with GPS and inertial guidance) and its support system.

The AASM 1000 is one of the new capabilities of the Rafale's F4 standard, the first increment of which (F4.1) is scheduled to be qualified by the end of January. It will be used by the French Air Force and the French Navy, notably from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.


1674756361899.png

The AASM 1000 is designed to be adapted to the historical high-powered bomb bodies (Mk84 and BLU109 bomb bodies), but also to the new developments underway by the French company ARESIA (BA84 and P1000 bomb bodies).

It consists of a GPS and inertial guidance kit and a range augmentation kit. The latter, which uses a propellant, allows a significant extension of the firing range compared to a non-propelled munition. Both kits are directly derived from the latest version of the AASM 250 and are adapted to 1,000 kg bombs. The AASM 250 ammunition (250 kg version), which has been in service with the French Army since 2008, has been successfully combat-tested in various theatres of operation.

The armourers of the French Air Force and Navy carry out the assembly of the AASM 1000 (installation of guidance and range augmentation kits on the bomb bodies) and the parameterisation of the ammunition according to the needs of the mission. The support system available to users includes assembly tools, test benches and user and maintenance documentation for the implementation of the munition.

The F4.1 standard Rafale fighter will be able to carry up to three AASM 1000s (one ventral and one under each wing). The development of the AASM 1000 ammunition was carried out with the active participation of technical experts from the French Air Force and Space Force, the French Navy and the Joint Munitions Service (SIMu) in order to take into account the recommendations and needs of the end-users as early as possible in the industrial work.

The various qualification tests of this ammunition were carried out in the DGA test centres (DGA Essais de missiles, DGA Techniques aéronautiques, DGA Techniques terrestres and DGA Essais en vol) with the manufacturers Safran Electronics & Defense and Dassault Aviation. In particular, the qualification firing carried out on the Rafale F4.1 confirmed the compatibility of the AASM 1000 with the new Rafale standard and the target performance of the munition.

The delivery of the first kits to SIMu was initiated in the wake of this qualification and is scheduled to continue in 2023.

This new version of the AASM is being developed by Safran Electronics & Defense under an €85 million contract awarded by the DGA in 2017.
 
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1620466650343686144

Although this is speculatory at this stage, it points out to a deep disconnect between the IAF & the MoD / GoI. Whether it's an issue of distrust or of finances, this doesn't bode well for our national security especially with things expected to get hot on the LAC.

Also doesn't explain why the IAF was asleep since 2016 when the last tender was cancelled & took them 6+ yrs to come out with a new tender for MRFA which still isn't out . Most disappointing for all of us here is that they missed the golden yr of 2022 which we looked upon & took for granted as the golden year of defense procurement. The last bit was heart breaking.
 
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India, France, UAE adopt roadmap for 'Rafale Forum'

Read more at: India, France, UAE adopt roadmap for 'Rafale Forum'

Though India had joined several ‘minilateral’ initiatives with other nations in the past, none of them publicly focussed on defence cooperation

India, France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have moved to institutionalize a trilateral initiative, which would promote defence cooperation among the three nations, focussing on raising compatibility among the armed forces as well as on joint development and co-production of military hardware. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his French and Emirati counterparts – Catherine Colonna and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan – had a phone-call on Saturday to follow up on the first meeting they had held in the trilateral format on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 19 last year. The phone-call resulted in formal adoption of a roadmap for implementation of the initiative for trilateral initiative.
 
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