Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Rafale>HA9602

General Background

The Rafale means ”Gust of Wind” or “Gust of Fire”. This aircraft is a twin-engine, canard delta wing, and a multirole fighter. With the varied payload available and electronics the Rafale is capable of carrying out any type of mission. After a disagreement with the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain concerning the “Future European Fighter Aircraft” work sharing Dassault decided to go it alone and began developing the Rafale. In July 1986 the prototype made its first flight. After lengthy delays the Rafale went into production in 2001.

The Aircraft

Because of the Libyan civil war a no-fly zone was established by several countries to help protect the Libyan civilians from air and ground attacks by the Gaddafi government. The French contribution to this action was called Harmattan (hot dry winds that blow over the Sahara). French Air Force Rafale aircraft began their missions on March 19, 2011 and soon after were joined by French Navy Rafales flying from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle while the Air Force operated from Solenzara AB on Corsica.

Specifications :

Number built by 2021:	237
Crew by variant:	Rafale B two-seater operated from land bases
	Rafale C single-seater operated from land bases
	Rafale M single-seater operated from carrier
Dimensions
Length:	15.27 m (50 ft 1 in)
Wingspan:	10.90 m (35 ft 9 in)
Height:	5.34 m (17 ft 6 in)
Weight:
Empty:	B -10,300 kg (22,708 lb)
	C - 9,850 kilograms (21,720 lb)
	M - 10,600 kilograms (23,400 lb)
Gross weight:	15,000 kg (33,069 lb)
Maximum take-off:	24,500 kg (54,013 lb)
Performance
Power Plant:	2 X Snecma M88-4e turbofans, 50.04 kN (11,250 lbf) thrust each dry, 75 kN (17,000 lbf) with afterburner
Maximum speed:	1,912 km/h (1,188 mph, 1,032 kn) / Mach 1.8 at high altitude
	1,390 km/h, 860 mph, 750 kn / Mach 1.1 at low altitude
Supercruise:	Mach 1.4
Combat range:	1,850 km (1,150 mi, 1,000 nmi) on penetration mission with three tanks (5,700 L combined), two SCALP-EG and two MICA AAMs.
Ferry range:	3,700 km (2,300 mi, 2,000 nmi) with 3 drop tanks
Service Ceiling:	18,290 m (60,000 ft)
Rate of climb:	304.8 m/s (60,000 ft/min)
Armament:	Gun – 1 X 30mm (1.2 in) GIAT 30/M791 auto-cannon / 125 rounds
	Hardpoints
	14 for Air Force variants (B C) 14 for Air Force variants (B C) 13 for Navy variant (M) Missiles Air-to-air MBDA MICA EM and IR (most widely used air-to-air missiles on Rafale; MICA-EM and MICA-IR both used for short-range and also for medium-range BVR combat) MBDA Meteor Magic II Air-to-ground MBDA Apache MBDA Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG AASM-Hammer (SBU-38/54/64) GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-16 Paveway II, GBU-22 Paveway III, GBU-24 Paveway III, GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II AS-30L Mark 82 Air-to-surface MBDA AM 39-Exocet air-launched anti-ship missile (one AM 39-Exocet at the central under-fuselage hardpoint) Nuclear Deterrence ASMP-A nuclear missile Other -Thales Damocles targeting pod Thales AREOS (Airborne Recce Observation System) reconnaissance pod Thales TALIOS multi-function targeting pod Up to 5 drop tanks