NEWS LETTER n¡5¥A4 - Dassault Aviation

SIGNIFICANTMILESTONESIn the last few months, the Rafale has passed numerous and significant milestonesin its development programme. The trials of the air-defence Standard F1have been completed, and various new configurations have been tested withStandard F2 and F3 external loads. New internal and external systems are also underactive development and testing.New external loadsThe range of missions which canbe performed by the Rafale isconstantly being expanded, andthe integration and trials of theIntertechnique buddy-buddy refuellingpod have now been completed.This pod is due to be usedby the French Navy from its aircraft-carrierto provide an organicin-flight refuelling capability tothe carrier battle group. "To date,Rafale M1, the first productionnaval Rafale, has successfullyrefuelled other Rafale and SuperEtendard fighters, clearly demonstratingthe inherent flexibility ofthe design, explains Pierre-CyrilDelanglade. The pod itself hasbeen cleared up to Mach 0.9 /580 knots IAS, and in-flight refuellingshave been conducted - withtransfer rates of 530 litres/minute- at 280-350 knots at altitudes upto 20,000 feet, but this could beexpanded to 30,000 feet withoutany problem." Even for countrieswith no naval air arms, a Rafaleequipped with this refuelling podcould increase the combat capabilitiesof a strike package as itboasts a significant self-escortcapability with its Mica air-to-airmissiles, allowing a raid to penetratedeep into hostile territorywhile still having an embeddedtanker force.Similarly, the Rafale has successfullyflown with a NewGeneration Reconnaissance Pod(NG Recce Pod), a new configurationwhich is representative ofthe Standard F3 fighter. The NG"At the moment, we are concentratingon the trials of the F2 omnirolestandard, says Pierre-CyrilDelanglade, Engineer in Chargeof Rafale Flight Tests at Istres. Weare busy expanding the flightenvelope with new external storesin heavy configurations. We arealso performing weapons releasesto make sure there are no adverseeffects on the stores or on the aircraftduring the release."Internal systems trials have followeda similar path, and progresshas been quick: DassaultAviation test pilots and flight testengineers have been very activedeveloping and testing the FrontSector Optronics (FSO), the Link16 Multifunction InformationDistribution System-Low VolumeTerminal (MIDS-LVT) datalink, theModular Data Processing Unit(MDPU), and the Direct VoiceInput system.Recce Pod will significantly boostthe capabilities of reconnaissanceunits. It will be fielded by Rafaleunits from 2007, and will progressivelysupplant Mirage F1CRand Super Etendard reconnaissanceaircraft currently in servicewith the French Air Force andNavy. The NG Recce Pod hasbeen flown at Mach 0.9 / 580knots IAS with two 2,000 litreexternal fuel tanks and four Micamissiles. Supersonic speeds havebeen demonstrated too, the fighterreaching Mach 1.4 with the NGRecce Pod on the centreline pylonand two Mica air-to-air missiles atthe wingtips. It has been determinedthat the NG Recce Pod hasnegligible impact on aircraft handling.New weapon configurationsCarrier trialsIn late 2002, the fighter participatedin a three-week trial campaignon board the Charles deGaulle to validate variousweapon/external load configurationsat heavy weights.For instance, Rafale M1 was catapultedat a weight of 21,4 tonnes(47,137 lb.) with a Scalp on thecentreline pylon, two 2,000 litredrop tanks on the inboard wingpylons, and four Mica missiles atthe wingtips and under thefuselage. During another test,it was recovered at a weight ofThe improved Standard F2 for theFrench Armed Forces will allow airto-groundattacks to be performedwith advanced weapons such asthe powerful and stealthy MBDAScalp EG cruise missile and thelow-cost Sagem AASM (ArmementAir-Sol Modulaire, Modular air-tosurfacearmament). "The newweapons are already being testedat Istres and Cazaux, and Scalpswere recently dropped from thewing pylons of the Rafale, a moredemanding scenario than releasesfrom the fuselage centreline hardpoint,says Pierre-Cyril Delanglade.15,7 tonnes (34,581 lb.) with sixAASM 300 kg bombs (plus empty1,250 litre drop tanks), clearlydemonstrating its huge ‘bringback’ capability.Perhaps even more significant isthe flight testing of the NG ReccePod in an aircraft-carrier environmentto make sure that thepod/Rafale airframe combinationcould withstand the shocksand vibrations associated withcarrier operations.The Rafale flight test programmeis continuing at an unabated rateFull-scale guided firings areexpected to be carried out in late2003."A new triple ejector rack forstaggered carriage of GBU-12laser-guided bombs has now beentested, allowing six GBU-12s to becarried, along with three 2,000litre drop tanks and four Micamissiles. Taking advantage ofwhat had been done with theGBU-12s, the first flights of aRafale fitted with six AASMGPS/INS/Imagery-guided bombshave been performed too.The first separation firings of theinfrared-guided, long-range,multi-target MBDA Mica IRair-to-air missile have also beenconducted with the firingenvelope now opened at supersonicspeeds. Fully guidedmissiles are planned to be firedin late 2003.Flight test engineers have takenadvantage of the ongoingprogrammes to clear thenormally subsonic 2,000 litredrop tank up to Mach 1.6 whentwo fuel tanks are fitted to theaircraft. The obvious advantageof this flight envelope expansionis that a Rafale in an air-to-groundfit could accelerate to high-supersonicspeed after weapondelivery, either to escape a threator to carry out an interceptionwithout dropping its fuel tanks.and it is expected that, in 2003,more than 450 Rafale sorties willhave been carried out from Istresand Cazaux by the Air Force /Test Centre / Dassault integratedtest team. In 2004, other importantevents will be recorded, suchas the first firing of a Scalppre-strategic cruise missilefrom a Rafale launched fromthe Charles de Gaulle carrier.