Initially, I was also a Typhoon fan (given that they can carry 4 AMRAAM semi-recessed) and Rafale can carry only 2. However, after reading about Rafale performance (29 degree per second roll rate - more than the 20+ degree achieved by the Vipers), its superior radar and IRST, the capability of Rafale to carry NATO missiles if needed and the capabilities of the Mica missiles, I think Rafale has a fighting chance to win.Originally posted by Shotgun:High Five!
Hehe. We don't need another multi-role fighter. We need a true air-superiority fighter.
'Dassault pointed out that Rafale is second to the Raptors in terms of Stealtiness. Typhoon has a bit of catching up.' ???!!Originally posted by Joe Black:Initially, I was also a Typhoon fan (given that they can carry 4 AMRAAM semi-recessed) and Rafale can carry only 2. However, after reading about Rafale performance (29 degree per second roll rate - more than the 20+ degree achieved by the Vipers), its superior radar and IRST, the capability of Rafale to carry NATO missiles if needed and the capabilities of the Mica missiles, I think Rafale has a fighting chance to win.
Dassault pointed out that Rafale is second to the Raptors in terms of Stealtiness. Typhoon has a bit of catching up. Rafale also supports full integration of HMS. Typhoon avaionics suite has a bit of work left to be at least on par with Rafale...
Last but not least, given recent Mindef "closeness" with the French since the LaFayette saga, I think the French will definitely entice Mindef to go with them.
Just my 2 cents anyway... will have to wait and see...
Perhaps the F-15 E/S variant doesn't look that bad with its ability to carry up to 8 AMRAAMs or 6 AMRAAMs and 2 sidewinders. The Eagles will also shortly be upgraded with a solid state electronic steered phase array radar - a slightly cut down version of the Raptor, an evolution from their APG-65/73 radar.Originally posted by Shotgun:Also, you said it yourself. The Rafale can only carry 2 AMRAAMS. In a real shootout, most pilots would shoot 2 AMRAAMs to ensure a kill. The Typhoon can actually carry 6 AMRAAMS. Only the BRIT typhoons can carry 4 because they insisted 2 launchers must be able to carry Skyflash. The remaining 2 forward launchers can be reconfigured to carry 2 more AMRAAMs instead.
Assuming the pilot decides to shoot 2 AMRAAMs at each target, a typhoon pilot would have effectively shot down 3 aircraft, and the Rafale 1. (MICA aside that is)
Supposedly, if we were to get the Rafale, we would have to buy MICAs just for the privilege use by the Rafales.
The Rafale is NOT stealthy. Maybe it has a lower RCS than the Typhoon, but its like 'Typhoon's big, and Rafale only slightly smaller'. Difference? Maybe Rafale gets detected at 147 miles, while Typhoon gets detected at 150 miles. Big difference eh??Originally posted by horizon:Looks like the majority is for Typhoon. But gladly we'r aren't going to the polls for the fighter choice.
Talk about stealthiness, if Rafale aren't that good, then the typhoon would look like the lighthouse in the radar screens. Just look at their shapes and its plain for all to see.
Talk about range, the Rafale is going to beat the Typhoon hands down (not to mention the conformal tanks that are going to be fitted).
Keep in mind that a specific requirement in the RSAF RFI is radius of action to fly to "southern part of thailand" Can anyone visualise how the typhoon is going to fit conformal tanks to its airframe?
And sorry, the RSAF is not looking at a primary air superiority fighter, but a strike a/c instead. And for that matter, the RSAF is not going to settle for a single role plane, but a multi role one. A 2 seater is preferred, and the typhoon is lagging in development in the area of a 2 seater attack variant.
Who cares how many Amraam u can carry, when almost all in the region have Amraams, it would only be wise to have an alternative fire and forget AAM(like Metoer, Mica, Derby) when u think of ways to beat others' Amraam by electronic means......Rafale is going to adopt Metoer as well...so it can carry 2 types...ie Mica and Metoer
And if we get the typhoon, we might have problems getting the relevant air to ground munitions- Apache etc (the US is going give rubbish talk to the British not to intro new
weapons to the region) something the French would be willing to give full clearance.
But of course, the higher cost of Rafale and the much more different avionics architecture
/ops sys would strain our logistics. That might be the achilles heel.
So let's just say the fight is rather fair...unless the French can lower the costs and integrate the Rafale to use some of the munitions that we currently have.
And believe u me, the rafale not only looks beautiful, its has the capabilties to boot, and it won't be a nice walk in the park for the typhoon.
I do see your point... in terms of logistics, it makes sense to share the same weapons. However, here are a few points to consider too:Originally posted by Shotgun:The AMRAAM is a very potent missile indeed. However, against a capable adversary, (NOT Raghead airforces and underfunded serbian airforces), most western fighter pilots acknowledge that they would fire 2 AMRAAMs at a singular target to ensure a kill. In BVR fights, its really not that difficult to avoid the first missile. Pilots properly trained in counter-missile maneuvers can effectively negate the first missile together with the use of counter measures. However, the 2nd missile is hard to avoid as much airspeed would have been bled away dodging the first 1.
I agree with the fact that the Israeli and Russians are ahead in missile technology for the moment. Much I believe has to do with the complancency of western airpowers. The MICA indeed is a more potent missile than the AMRAAM. But my point is, the RSAF already operates a large inventory of US airframes and technology. It is only natural that we acquire AMRAAMs and other aircraft that uses the AMRAAMs. The rafale utilizes the MICA largely, not the AMRAAM. So why should we get the Rafale? Just because the MICA is a better missile?
Why we should not get the MICA.
MICA has a range of 50Km, which is the same as the AMRAAM. Although it is better, it is still rather short on range.
Most RSAF aircraft cannot arm up with the MICA.
So, why not get another aircraft that can be armed with AMRAAMs, AND utilise future BVRAAMs such as the Meteor? Such an aircraft would be the Typhoon, not the Rafale.
France or rather Dassault has fully integrated Rafale with most current western weapons. And it has promised integration with any customer specified weapon. Integrating MICA with current RSAF platforms won't be difficult, after all if we do get Meteors etc they will have to be integrated woth the Vipers too, after all things like Python 4 and Derby were integrated with the Vipers already.Originally posted by Shotgun:Why we should not get the MICA.
MICA has a range of 50Km, which is the same as the AMRAAM. Although it is better, it is still rather short on range.
Most RSAF aircraft cannot arm up with the MICA.
So, why not get another aircraft that can be armed with AMRAAMs, AND utilise future BVRAAMs such as the Meteor? Such an aircraft would be the Typhoon, not the Rafale.
Actually, the superbug only loses out to the rest of the aircraft in terms of airframe performance.... However, when the all-up superbug, meaning when it gets its AESA radar and its IDECM suite, it will definitely not lose to the Rafale or the Typhoon in the avionics department...still I'd rather we not get the superbugOriginally posted by Shotgun:Actually the difference btween then Python 4 and the MICA is, the python4 was MADE to be hung on the F-16. So there was technically no integration on the part of RSAF Vipers. All they needed was some software tweaks. Ditto for the Derby.
MICA was only made to slung under the wings of Dassault airframes. In anycase, its not impossible to integrate MICA into our F-5s and F-16s.
In anycase, both the Rafale and the Typhoon are fantastic 5th generation fighters. Its almost impossible to point out a single detail that would rule either one out completely. In fact, I would welcome both into RSAF inventories, but I guess there can only be one. Since both will eventually recieve the Meteor, I guess I will settle for any of the 2.
No superbugs please!
150 and 147 miles are just an example, though I believe that they would be detected further out than that....I heard tht to decrease detection range by half, an aircrafts RCS has to be decreased by 4 times... the Rafale ain't have that much lower RCS than the Typhoon, and both still have big RCS signatures.... so I believe stealth is a non-comparison point between the 2 planesOriginally posted by Viper52:hmmm...147 vs 150 miles? any hard data on that? The differences would not be so small, but with todays advances in missile technology even a 3-mile diff would make a lot of diff in BVR combat. It could mean the difference between who fires first. I don't know about size, but I think Rafale vs Typhoon MTOW was different by only a couple thousand lbs, so size difference would not be that much different there I would presume. Its in shape that Typhoon loses big time in RCS.
Singapores fighter RFI has been discussed at length in a number of journals, one that springs to mind is Flight Int'l, but as the mag is published weekly I really have no idea which issue I saw it in....sorry 'bout that...
A likely theory: The RSAF/Tony Tan was waxing lyrical about the Rafale when the RFI was first issued, then they started talking up the Typhoon. Before we selected the Apache it was the same thing, a lot of talk about the Apache, then they started talking about the Tiger, but got the AH-64 eventually. It was revealed in Flight Int'l that for a while the Apache deal hung in the blance over US refusal to clear Longbow radar to Singapore, thats when we started talking about the Tiger, and suggested it was a ploy to get Boeing to put pressure on the US government to clear the Longbow export. We might be seeing the same thing with the fighters here....
Its just a theory though...nothing concrete...
AMEN!!!Originally posted by Shotgun:In anycase, both the Rafale and the Typhoon are fantastic 5th generation fighters. Its almost impossible to point out a single detail that would rule either one out completely. In fact, I would welcome both into RSAF inventories, but I guess there can only be one. Since both will eventually recieve the Meteor, I guess I will settle for any of the 2.
Agree that both are extremely capable fighters and both will represent a real quantum leap in capability, but what swung my opinion in favour is what I believe to be a *very slight* edge in capabilities(just my opinion) and its sleeker lines...
No superbugs please!
In terms of a real war... much better. The European/Israeli equipment will perform much more consistent and reliable under real condition. Given the fair engagement condition and rules of engagement, Flanker/Adder/Amraamski will produce some amazing feat but will not have the kill ratio. Russians equipment are not known for their reliability. Rafale-Mica, Typhoon-AMRAAM-Derby will probably achieve close to a 1 shot 1 kill, whereas the Flanker/Adder will probably achieve more like a 3 shot 1 kill.Originally posted by Shotgun:Now the question is, How will either the Rafale-Mica, Typhoon-AMRAAM-Derby, fare against a possible Su-30MKM-Adder? Who has the upper hand and why?
They might, eventually, but then again, a repeat performance of the Skyhawk-Maverick thing might happen again....they wired their Skyhawk for Maverick but never got them...Originally posted by Shotgun:Well, it makes no sense if they wired their fulcrums up for adders and they don't get them right? I suspect they may recieve their Adders after all.
I won't look down on the Adders, as the missile is really much more respectable than the AMRAAM, in terms of range, manueverability. The guidance is the decisive parts, as they will be recieving downgraded versions of the Adder.