French Industry Plans Upgraded Rafale for Export Markets

With an eye to potential foreign markets for up to 350 aircraft in the next decade, Dassault and its industry partners have disclosed development of a Mk 2 version of the Rafale advanced combat aircraft, tailored for export.

France is committed to buying 294 Rafales, from agreed fixed-price contracts. But only 61 have yet been ordered, and production stretches from budget strictures leave ample capacity for additional output.

For export, Dassault will equip the Rafale Mk 2 with a new Thales active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar and avionics, to operate with a wide range of international weapons, plus an uprated (to 20,000-pounds-thrust) Snecma M88-3 turbofan. F-16-style upper-fuselage 674 U.S. gallon conformal fuel tanks, flight-tested from April 18, will afford 10-15% more range.

Rafale Mk 2 development will cost an estimated $730 million. No state finance will be directly involved, but Dassault, Snecma and Thales will no longer be required to provide 25% of the $1.9-billion cost of developing AdlA and Aeronavale Rafales to F2 and F3 standards. Nor will Dassault suffer financially from Aeronavale's decision last year to switch 40 of its planned purchase of 60 Rafale Ms to two-seat BM combat versions.

A prototype Mk 2 will fly by late 2003, with production deliveries expected from January 2006. Provisionally costed at $40 milion to $50 million each, the Rafale Mk 2 is aimed initially at meeting South Korea's F-X program for 60 new fighters from 2006. Briefings are also planned, however, for such countries as Australia, Greece, India, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.

Deliveries now starting of ten single-seat Rafale M versions to Aeronavale, plus one Rafale C and two two-seat Rafale Bs to AdlA from 2004, will all be air defense F1s. From late 2004, production and retrofit upgrades will switch to Rafale F2 limited multi-role versions, with air-to-ground radar modes, Thales/SAGEM OSF (Optronique Secteur Frontal) sensors, incorporating infrared search and tracking (IRST), FLIR, SAGEM Armament Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) IR guidance targeting system, and laser-ranging, plus associated software, for compatibility with new weapons. These will include MBD MICA IR-guided short/medium-range AAMs, APACHE dispenser, and SCALP-EG cruise missiles.

Rafale F3 production, funded from about 2006, will add further weapons capabilities, including EADS' rocket/ramjet-powered ASMP-A supersonic nuclear cruise missile, MBDA ANF supersonic AShMs, and Thales Topsight helmet-mounted sight/display system. Progressive incorporation of these systems will follow in Aeronavale's remaining 40 two-seat Rafale BMs, and AdlA's requirement for 234 Rafales, including 139 two-seaters. A Rafale F4 version is also envisaged, to add AESA radar and MBDA's Meteor BVRAAM to its weapons capabilities by about 2010.

Active international marketing is also continuing of the multi-role Mirage 2000, including the new -5 series, further developed by Dassault, Snecma and Thales. Described as "almost a single-engined Rafale," the -5 uses many of its new digital systems and weapons. Apart from 37 AdlA Mirage 2000-5Fs, upgraded from French air force Mirage 2000Cs, exports have included 48 2000-5EIs and 12 two-seat -5DIs for Taiwan; nine -5EDAs and three -5DDAs for Qatar; and 30 -9s, plus similar upgrades to 33 2000DAD/EAD/SADs, for the UAE. In 1999, Greece confirmed orders for 15 -9 variants, designated 2000-5 Mk 2s, plus similar upgrades of ten of its 36 earlier 2000EGs. India is also buying four earlier Mirage 2000Hs and six two-seat 2000THs as attrition replacements.