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Rafale and AASM-Hammer, a dynamic duo 20-07-2011 - As we have seen throughout recorded history, each new conflict seems to bring its own share of innovations. Recently, for example, the air strikes over Libya – Operation Harmattan for France, and Operation Unified Protector for NATO in the framework of the UN resolution 1973 – have spotlighted the unexpectedly powerful performance of a new French-made weapon, the AASM Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) air-to-ground modular weapon developed and produced by Sagem. The AASM made a discreet debut in the spring of 2008, when the French air force deployed a...

Typhoon outdid Rafale in Libya, claims four-nation consortium Sandeep Dikshit It has superior turnaround time, bombing capabilities With just a fortnight left for the opening of commercial bids for the Indian military's biggest ever tender, four European nations — the U.K., Germany, Spain and Italy — bidding jointly for 126 fighter planes promised an open door technology transfer and emphasised the superiority of their Eurofighter Typhoon over its sole competitor, the French Rafale, during ongoing operations in Libya “The technology transfer is very attractive,” said senior officers of the four-nation consortium while senior Royal Air Force officers, sidestepping the morality...

India's Mirage upgrade: a prelude to a Rafale MMRCA win? It looks as if India is serious about upgrading its Dassault Mirage 2000Hs to Mirage 2000-9 standard. This is a major upgrade that will affect most systems in the aircraft. The bill, estimated at $2.2 billion, is staggering, working out to about $43 million an aircraft. One wonders if India would be better off buying new aircraft. In his MMRCA report earlier this year Ashley Tellis pegged the flyaway cost of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (with APG-79 AESA radar) at $60 million. Anyway, the timing of the upgrade (first mooted...

Will Lockheed's Rival Crash and Burn? By Rich Smith Investors know the saying: "Bulls make money, bears make money, but pigs get slaughtered." If you stumble onto a "good thing," don't get greedy -- take a fair profit. France's Dassault would be wise to heed that lesson. Yesterday, DefenseNews.com reported that Dassault has run into trouble in negotiations to sell the United Arab Emirates a fleet of Rafale fighter jets. The UAE wanted to purchase several dozen of the jets to replace its 63 French Mirage fighters. But a deal that was supposed to cost somewhere between $2.5 billion and...

Libya boosts Euro fighter jets at Paris Air Show By JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press LE BOURGET, France (AP) — In the war in Libya, the French Rafale fighter jet has nearly done it all: no-fly zone enforcement, air-to-ground strikes, reconnaissance, overflight missions. One thing the plane has never done is sell overseas. The Rafale and a European market rival, the Typhoon, have been among standout performers in the NATO air campaign against Moammar Gadhafi's forces — offering an unexpected shop window as nations including rising world powers Brazil and India consider multibillion-dollar fighter jet purchases. Both warplanes were heavily promoted...

France's Rafale fighter proves its 'omnirole' skills By Craig Hoyle France's Rafale fighter programme is midway through what could be a pivotal year in the Dassault type's potentially half-century service history. Already involved in NATO-led combat operations over Libya, the aircraft will return to frontline duty in Afghanistan inside the next two months. Its industrial backers are, meanwhile, edging seemingly closer to a long-awaited first export sale. One of three fighters now in production in western Europe, along with the Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen, the Rafale has been in French military service since 2004, when it entered use with...

Rafale Upgrade Ready in 2012 (Source: defense-aerospace.com; posted June 6, 2011) By Giovanni de Briganti CAZAUX, France --- The French defense procurement agency, DGA, is carrying out the final development tests of an upgrade package for the Rafale combat aircraft, including an AESA radar and improved electronics, that should be ordered next year by the French ministry of defense. The package, designated F3 04T because it is an off-shoot of the aircraft’s latest F3 standard, also includes a new-generation Radar Warning Receiver (DDM-NG) and an improved version of the OSF (Optique Secteur Frontal) electro-optical sensor. Upgraded Rafales will also be...

This French jet is flying around with an untested nuke Matt Hardigree —Below this French Rafale jet is a missile that can travel about 300 miles before deploying a completely untested 300 kiloton nuclear warhead. This shot wasn't taken at the height of the Cold War. It was taken last week. To understand why you have to understand the French approach to nuclear deterrence. Films like War Games and Dr. Strangelove have brainwashed us into believing the whole world plays by the same rules of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) that dictate the use of nuclear weapons will cause a chain...

Rafale in Combat: “War for Dummies” (Source: defense-aerospace.com; posted May 31, 2011) By Giovanni de Briganti Two French air force Rafales, a single-seater and a two-seater, refuel on their way to Libya. Both carry AASM guided bombs, MICA air-to-air missiles and drop tanks, while the single-seater also carries a Damoclès targeting pod on its centerline pylon. (French AF photo) RAFALETOWN, Corsica --- French air force Rafale combat aircraft deployed here as part of the UN-sanctioned Libyan No-Fly Zone are for the first time making full use of the aircraft’s “omnirole” capabilities, which allow a single aircraft to carry out the...

India, France discuss pending fighter jet deals (AP) – 2 hours ago NEW DELHI (AP) — France's defense minister made a final pitch for his country's fighter jet on a visit to India on Friday, hoping to secure a lucrative contract with the world's biggest arms importer. India says it's nearing a decision on which fighter jets it will buy, having eliminated all options but France's Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is built by a consortium of Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet discussed the $11 billion deal to supply 126 jets to India's air...

Rafale Ramps Up: In Squadrons and Capability Posted by Robert Wall at 5/26/2011 5:38 PM CDT The French navy next month expects to inaugurate its second operational unit, 11F, to be collocated with 12F at Landisvisiau near Brest. The move comes as the inventory of single-seat Dassault Aviation Rafale Ms is starting to grow. (credit: DGA) Meanwhile, combat operations continue to drive new efforts for the French military when it comes to Rafale. Soon to be launched is an upgrade of the Thales Damocles laser targeting pod to augment the infrared channel with a TV channel. The latter should improve...

Does Typhoon Have Upper Hand in India? Posted by Christina Mackenzie at 5/18/2011 8:02 AM CDT Close and experienced observers of the Indian defense sector are placing their bets on the Eurofighter Typhoon beating the Rafale in the competition to provide India with new combat aircraft. They say the two aircraft down-selected at the end of last month are very similar performance-wise and so the decision is likely to swing to the Typhoon. And why? Because Dassault in December signed a $2.1 million contract to upgrade India's fleet of 51 Mirage-2000s and, these observers say, India is likely to buy...

France tries to tie Rafale with Mirage upgrade RAHUL BEDI New Delhi | 27th Mar Insidious French attempts to link the Indian Air Force's (IAFs) long-postponed and contentious Mirage 2000H fleet upgrade to the $10 billion acquisition of Dassault's Rafale fighters in support of the IAF's requirement of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), have further delayed the pending retrofit. Ostensibly, the deal to upgrade the IAFs 51 Vajra (Thunderbolt) Mirage 2000Hs, widely expected to be confirmed by end-March with fighter manufacturers Dassault Aviation, official sources said, had been further deferred beyond the March 2011 deadline following unresolved price differences...

Kuwaiti MP links Rafale deal with performance against Gaddafi A Kuwaiti lawmaker has linked his parliamentary bloc's approval of a deal with French Rafale fighters with their performance, in efforts to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. By Habib Toumi, Bureau chief Published: 11:07 March 23, 2011 Manama: A Kuwaiti lawmaker has linked his parliamentary bloc's approval of a deal with French Rafale fighters with their performance in efforts to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Militant MPs have repeatedly warned the Kuwaiti government against purchasing the French-made Rafale warplanes, saying technical reports have recommended the rejection of the deal. "We warn...

Libya, a commercial lifeline for the French Rafale PARIS - A military intervention airline launched Saturday in Libya by an international coalition offers a great opportunity to show action in the French fighter Rafale, which Paris and Dassault manufacturer tried to sell, so far unsuccessfully, for several countries, including Brazil . Saturday, eight Rafale flew into the sky to establish a Libyan-fly zone in compliance with a resolution of the UN Security Council to protect civilians from the military offensive of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Domingo foram seis. Sunday was six. All performed reconnaissance missions and / or attack. Outros...

Obama's Brazil trip may influence possible F/A-18 Hornet deal By Robert Koenig, Beacon Washington correspondent Posted 4:24 pm, Fri., 3.18.11 WASHINGTON - When President Barack Obama travels to Brazil this weekend, one of the many items on his agenda eventually could have an impact on thousands of aerospace workers in St. Louis. Aside from signing agreements on topics such as patents and scientific cooperation Obama and Brazil's president, Dilma Vana Rousseff, are expected to discuss opportunities for American companies in Brazil - and for Brazilian firms in this country. One of the U.S. companies with a potentially huge interest in...

French Rafale is best at dogfight Prashanth G N, TNN, Feb 12, 2011, 04.45am IST BANGALORE: If there is one thing the French Rafales can do best, it's the dogfight. Small and menacing, the Rafale can plunge in and out rapidly for short distances, hitting the enemy aircraft swiftly. Five French pilots have flown the Rafale all the way from France to Bangalore -- over 5,000 miles. "We flew in with three air-to-air refuellings. It was a beautiful flight with the two fighter aircraft following the fuel tanker in front. We had a stopover at UAE before coming to India....

Rafale F3 and AREOS Reco NG: The 21st century reconnaissance team The Rafale F3 will take over recce duties, using the AREOS Reco NG pod developed by Thales. (Photo: Dassault Aviation) 15:10 GMT, February 9, 2011 The AREOS Reco NG pod, an integral part of the F3 standard for Rafale fighters, brings France into the world of all-digital reconnaissance. As a veritable “omnirole” fighter, the Rafale has already replaced several types of warplanes in the French air force and navy. This trend is set to continue in the coming years with the retirement of France’s last Mirage F-1 fighters, the...

The French Fighter Jet That Nobody Wants The Rafale has cost $53 billion and is the key to France's defense economy, but it's not selling abroad By Carol Matlack The Rafale fighter, made by France's Dassault Aviation, is loaded with high-tech avionics, radar, and targeting systems. Now all it needs are customers. France has been peddling the supersonic jet since 2000 and hasn't sold a single one. In the latest setback, Brazil said on Jan. 17 that it would reopen bidding for a fighter contract worth up to $7 billion—a deal France had thought it was close to sealing last...

France Orders 200 Air-to-air Missile to Equip Rafale 2011-01-04 01:19:17 Xinhua Web Editor: Jiang France has ordered 200 air-to-air Meteor missiles to equip its Rafale fighters serving in the air force and navy, the defense ministry said on Monday in a statement. Defense Minister Alain Juppe welcomed the order of the long- range missile designed for French jet Rafale under the cooperation between France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain and Britain, according to the ministry. The French General Direction for Ordnance (DGA) has awarded the order to multinational missile producer MBDA. "The first Meteor missile will be delivered to the French...