According to my books, you don't know Rafale nor its progrmme wery well.
"I had to chuckle. It's pithy and pointed, and even funny. But is it fair?
Are they seriously claiming that Rafale is on schedule? On budget? "Ready to fly the full range of missions"?
Really?
I thought it was at least ten years late, and that they'd found a €1.5 Bn hole in the funding?"
I thought it was the only one which haven't experienced technical problems that caused the aircraft to be nicknamed the "Hangar Queen", grounded for two years, to crash or need a major structural redesign, (Typhoon = FCS + engines, JAS39 = FCS, F-22 = FCS, F-35 bad design management).
I thought it was the only one which delay was entirely related to finances.
I thought it was necessary to have a minimum level of untellectual honnesty to write in something usually as good as AFM.
I thought it wat the very superior "F-8 derivative" which outted Typhoon in THREE major competitons Korea, Holland, Singapore, and will probabilly win its first major export order soon...
I thought smart guys would KNOW that AdA had their first Rafale C (C101) some time ago in OPVAL at Mont de Marsans but that it was the delivery to the active squadron forming at St Dizier (EC 1/7) which was the subject of this agitation.
I thought a good reporter would have been looking at the Assemblee Nationale documents to figure exactly what was the finances status for the Rafale programme.
I thought NO Typhoon squadron had been put to full operational status YET, that when this happens, the entire world will be loudly made aware as is the use for the Eurofighter company.
I thought that even if Eurofighters partners doesn't officially put it this way, the aircraft, fresh from the factories are still not only in OPVAL but also NOT at the definitive standard requiered just YET.
I thought they (Eurofighter) are about three years behind in type developement and that their capabilties aren't anywhere near to be equal to Rafale standard F2.
But the best part, the one that proves that the Eurofighter "clan" have been outsmarted:
"I thought that most of the clever stuff wouldn't happen unless and until they got an export customer who would help pay for it?"
I thought assumption to be the mother of all FCUK-UPs?
I thought that after the Quinetiq "clever simulated demonstration" on Typhoon so called superior performances they would have learned their lessons?
I thought our Defense Minister was somehow smarter than yours?
I thought that Rafale was a far better design, a better system and had better performances in real life? (Not in the fancy Typhoon sites you guys are visiting these days).
I thought that potential export custromers could easly have spoted this, and that's the reason why Rafale leaves Typhoon behind in every competitions they are pited against.
I thought a new radar, new OSF, improved SPECTRA, new EMTI and avionics are making Rafale even better than it was.
I thought SNECMA havedeveloped the 90Kn M- 88-3 for thefutur upgrade, and that Dassault's designers have been smart enough to give it enough growth and upgrade potential.
I thought that any aircraft with a developement time that long would need the same treatment, but that Typhoon didn't get most of the clever stuff.
I thought the "clan" are pissed off at the way the Rafale programme goes and cannot accept the fact that one get what one needs.
I thought we where talking about different standards of information and intellectual honnesty here.
Thanks we're proud of France the Rafale GIE Thales, Snecma and Dassault but more to the point, fade up with some guys constant abuse and use of the excuse of their ignorance:
My pic: Learn French if you want ot write anything about our aircraft, my prediction. Singap[ore is ours, so is Greece.
Have a nice day gentlemen.
