I think that sums up a lot , BUT I remind you that the Rafale pilots are not allowed to use active jamming during drills with Allies (SPECTRA and OSF have only been used to find the opponent).

In which case then surely the Vipers were not allowed to use active jamming either (ASPIS and ALE-50 towed decoys).  Well, it's reassuring to hear that Rafales can beat F-16s close in:  Good job.  I guess this means the FAF should be well-equipped to fight Singapore or the UAE if they need to.

 

Jim :

""

Jim :

Why did you choose these 2 nations as possible enemies ?

I thought so Bear , but I just wanted to be sure ! lol ...

 

Cheers .

 

 

Recently , the USAF invited some Rafale F2s to do some advanced dogfighting against some F-16s Blk 52 .
It was a one v one confrontation repeated multiple times . The drill did last 3 days . The French and the Americans pilots had to find each other in a big portion of sky (100x100 km/square), then close in and go dogfighting .

The French Airforce only released the results of the first day :
6-2 in favor of the Rafale .
It has been on the French news on the main TV channel TF1 .
Video :
h*tp://videos.tf1.fr/video/news/0,,3931177,00-contre-rafale-vrai-faux-combat-.html

Quick translation of the video (the good bits):
French pilot : " we 're going to separate in the zone and then try to find each other , one Rafale and one F-16 , then go do WVR . We feel that the USAF is very curious about the Rafale and we think that they know what they are up against , so I think that we 're going to bluff them "
Second French Pilot talk :
" It went well , the F-16s were very cool to fight against and we managed to shootdown them from time to time , it was good "

Commentator :
"The Americans admit that they have been impressed by the French fighter "

The USAF pilot :
" The Rafale is an aircraft with unique capabilities which can be flown in a very aggressive manner , more than the F-16 . But you know , the most important is the capabilities of the pilot (!)"
*****************
I think that sums up a lot , BUT I remind you that the Rafale pilots are not allowed to use active jamming during drills with Allies (SPECTRA and OSF have only been used to find the opponent).
It also shows that the APG-68(v9) radar (with a quoted range of 300km )doesn 't give an adge to the Falcon against the PESA RBE2 and the "discret" RCS of the Rafale .
It also shows that MICA is a very good dogfighting missile and does its job and it also shows that Rafale is more manoeuvrable than the F-16 Blk52 (which is the best dogfighther that the USAF has) .

I dare to say that if SPECTRA was used to its full extent (active jamming), the result would have been 6-0 .

Cheers .

Leave it to Strategypage's own favorite troll to wildly misinterpret a training exercise, speculate on technology and tactics he can't comprehend and base all of his conclusions on scripted limited results covering only 1/3 of the event. Woo Hoo good work Bluewings!

 

 

-DA

I was sure to get some bitter comments and responses flirting with bashing and it 's the case .

 

smitty , the F-16 might be a 30 years old design but it is still the yardstick in the USAF for dogfighting , it can easily beat the Eagle and the SH cannot have a chance in hell agaisnt the Falcon . Furthermore , how many times US posters wrote that the F-16 could outclass the Rafale (and the Mirage) in dogfighting with its superior radar (?) , superior thrust (?) , superior agility (?) and superior missiles (?) . SP is full of these posts ...

 

If the score was in favor of the Falcon , many posters would say "how many times we told you so , BW ?" 

But it is not , so since you cannot bash the Rafale anymore as a poor dogfighter (?) , you shoot the messenger .

I 've heard just about any possible crap to bash and look down on the Rafale :

It 's PESA radar is crap , has a short range and is almost useless .

It 's delta wings coupled to canards bleed speed during cornering .

It 's missiles are in no way on the par with the US ones .

Etc , etc ...

 

Well , what say you now ?

 

DA , stick to your Bradleys and Strikers and don 't come to me with your usual nonsense . In fact , it 's you who 's trolling , not me . The exercise was held by the USAF and the rules were simple : find each other and fight on one v one .

So , cut the crap .

We 'll see how Rafale does against the Typhoon very soon , it is just unfortunate that the Raptor is not flying with or against the Rafale this year at Red Flag , but time will come .

 

Cheers .

When you can debate the technical merits of your assessments or bring up militarily relevant discussion topics then you can talk to me. Also, stop playing pretend with us kid. You are as obvious as the sun in the sky.

 

 

-DA

Red Flag is a school. Your people went to class and we really don't know if they got a passing grade since we are not privy to the teacher's marks for the little froggie forces. That is classified. The quotes and story are pablem for the media and the french taxpayer. It wouldn't be much of a school if the instructors beat the crap out of everyone on every flight would it?

 

Your little story does not address what the rafale (or its pilots for that matter) is capable of against USAF squadrons of any stripe in a hot war.

 

Check Six

 

Rocky