The French Air Force began flight tests of a new modification of the Rafale F4 fighter

The French Air Force is preparing to adopt the next modification of the Rafale fighter. The Rafale F3-R will be replaced by the Rafale F4. The French Ministry of Defense announced the start of testing the new aircraft.

According to the report, the new fighter passed the first stage of tests, during which more than 50 sorties were carried out. The tests took place at the Isr airbase in the south of France, two fighters of a new modification took part in them.

So far, there is no information about the end of the tests and the acceptance of the fighter into service, but the French military department has confirmed that after the new aircraft have passed the necessary tests, the Rafale F4 will become the main French fighter, replacing the Rafale F3-R.

An upgraded version of the Rafale fighter with the designation F3-R was adopted by the French Air Force in December 2019, the fighter received an improved radar with AFAR, an automatic ground collision avoidance system and an expanded range of weapons. A key feature of the F3-R is support for MBDA Meteor missiles, a Thales Talios laser designator, and an advanced satellite guidance system for Safran AASM bombs.

A little earlier, at the beginning of 2019, it was announced that the next modification of the fighter was being developed - the F4 standard. The new version includes the refinement of the RBE2 radar with AFAR, the TALIOS long-range radar guidance module and the Reco NG reconnaissance module. It was also announced about the modernization of the communications complex, displays on the pilots' helmets and equipping the aircraft with a new engine control unit. In addition, Rafale F4 fighters will be able to carry new missiles and precision bombs up to 1 ton.

Rafale is a 4th generation multirole fighter. Its maiden flight took place in 1986. It was adopted by the French Navy in 2004, and began to enter the Air Force in 2006. The French Air Force plans that the fighter, after going through a series of upgrades, will serve at least until 2070, after which it will be replaced by the sixth generation aircraft, bypassing the fifth.

Comments

[TermNachTer]

The device will remain in service for 60 years))) it is even cooler than the "MiG - 21" among the Indians))) and then immediately the 6th generation.

[Anachoret]

and then immediately the 7th generation) the news is certainly funny) until 2070, at least the 4th generation Rafali is going to use it, and some racing experts say that Russian TU-bears are junk))

[Nikolaevich I]

Quote: TermNachTER

The device will remain in service for 60 years)

Fuck! Well, imagine ... 1910 ... What happened then? What weapons ... what "eroplan-whatnots"? Imagine 1970 ... imagine what this year had! Let's compare the 1910 "flying bookcase" and the jet supersonic fighter in 1970! Feel the difference? So what will happen in 2070? Who's to say? Personally, I will say: A fig knows him! And will the "6th generation" be needed then?

[OgnennyiKotik]

Firstly, these are the inventions of the author. A 6th generation prototype is planned for the 30s, with a production launch in the early 40s. And there further as the map will lie
Secondly, the development speed drops, this is a logical process. The "ideal" is achieved, which is difficult to improve, only with the advent of fundamentally new technologies. At the beginning of the extravaganza of options, at the end of the path there are several standard solutions that differ in details. Cars, smartphones, tanks, etc. Everywhere like that.

[donavi49]

Fuck - every year new swords and armor are forged, everything is updated.

And then once, and noble warriors in 30-40 year old armor with grandfather's spears and swords go into battle.

Afiget - every five years a new generation of mushets and arquebus. And then again, and the Crimean war with guns of 1809 having a modernized capsule-type lock against the French with guns of 1845, which are the modernization of the 1823 gun for a capsule lock, which in turn is a modernization of the main infantry gun of Napoleon's 1801 army, which was generally alteration of a sample of the late 1700s for serial mass production.

It's the same here.

[Herman 4223]

What will happen? It seems that oil on earth should run out by this year.

[Doccor18]

Quote: Nikolaevich I

And will the "6th generation" be needed then?

And what is the 6th generation? Manned or UAV ...
About 30 years ago, for a very long time and it was difficult to understand what is the 5th ... What kind of fighter should have a set of necessary options .. It seems like they formulated it, but ... To this day, disputes over whether the same J20 or F35 classic five ...
With the "sixth" it will be even more difficult, since the "UAV factor" will also be added ... It seems that each developer himself will determine that there is a "6th generation" for him ...

[knn54]

Something is wrong with the "5" generation.
The Yankes took up the "Attacking Falcon" seriously. F-22 want to write off. F-35 was suspended.
The French improve armament and "electronic stuffing" by 4 ++.
The British, too, at the "6" generation, too, immediately swung.
It looks like it will be a "fancy" UAV with unreal "Wishlist" so far.
But air defense systems do not stand still.

[abrakadabre]

The British, too, at the "6" generation, too, immediately swung.
It looks like it will be a "fancy" UAV with unreal "Wishlist" so far.

That is, the "battleship" in the air. Which is unrealistically cool, but it's a pity to release it into battle - to lose it in battle is a disaster for the economy.

[TermNachTer]

So I say: "Die and not get up))) judging by what is happening in France, I'm not sure that it will be in 2070. It may very well be, as V. Panov wrote in" Enclaves "- El - Paris , Bavarian Sultanate, Landanabad, etc.

[Doccor18]

Quote: TermNachTER

The device will remain in service for 60 years))) it is even cooler than the "MiG - 21".

MiG-21 is beyond competition! 65 years in active operation, by the time of its planned write-off in 2024.
But it is very hard to believe in the operation of Rafale until the 70th year ... For half a century, AI and unmanned systems will oust all existing and familiar aircraft from the Air Force ...

[Ros 56]

By the 70th year, only Arabs and Africans will remain from the Preservation, and they don't fucking need it. And the pure French will live in the ghetto, if they stay, of course.

[Andylw]

Soviet drying, the basis of Russian VKS, ALREADY 60 years old ...
and an adequate change to it is not visible until the 30s ...
the world's unparalleled 4 ++ su57 fighter is available in homeopathic doses
but it's not worth even dreaming about the 6th generation

we continue to scoff at paddling pools with rafals ...

[Herman 4223]

Operation of the Su-27 began in 1985, 36 years ago. Su-30 1992, Su-35 2012 start of mass production.
Su-57 is just starting to be produced, everything is still ahead. What kind of drying we have been using for 60 years, tell me?

[Andylw]

haha)) the beginning of operation is ridiculous, yes))
in the article speech about the first flight of Raphael in 1986
the first flight of the su-27 - 1977)))
the basis of the RF videoconferencing is 9 years older than the French rafals)))
and this scoffing at the French is ridiculous, given that the latest rafals are more modern than the latest modifications of Soviet dryers and have AFAR
the differences between the modifications of Soviet dryers and rafals are only in the designation method. ours designate them with 2 numbers, and the French - 1 letter and 1 number

[Herman 4223]

The car that made its first flight in 1977 did not go into production. In fact, as a result, a new model was developed. In what year she flew there, you can see it is not important. But you must admit this is not 60 years old.
I don’t scoff at the French car, I think it’s not bad. But for what purpose did you decide to crap our dryer?

[Andylw]

in 1986 the same Raphael prototype flew as in 1977 the drying prototype
and I am writing to the fact that the base aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces was developed 60 years ago.
and since then it has only been modernized with the replacement of the numbers in the name.

[Herman 4223]

Some of us are bad at math. 60 years ago, this is 1961. Are you talking about the Su-15 or what? So he does not fly for a long time.

[Herman 4223]

You have not answered what kind of drying flies 60 years.?

[Zaurbek]

And the Su35, as a minimum, already needs modernization, and ahead of us is a legacy from the Su57 in the form of a turbojet engine (Izdeliye30), an AFAR in some kind of set, sensors and a cab with "brains" ... and it is still relevant to serve it for another 30 years ... ..... and will be 90-100 years old

[Botanist]

Quote: AndyLW

the world's unparalleled 4 ++ su57 fighter is available in homeopathic doses

Uh-huh ... And over time it will be declared a transitional model (or a serial demonstrator) and a small number will become logical ...
And the Su-30/35 will be the backbone of fighter aviation for a long time with the appropriate upgrades ...

[voyaka uh]

Already F4 - the fourth upgrade, and ugly sticking out in front of the cockpit
the filling bar was never removed!
If the French make a puncture, then forever. Fix
(make telescopically retractable) - never, why sweat ?.
So Raphael will forever have this rhino horn, as a symbol
engineering laziness.

[nks]

This "puncture" allows you to reduce weight, increase reliability and simplify / reduce the cost of maintenance, but you, as a person with no engineering education and thinking, will not understand this. And this is apparently forever :) In general, it is Boeing and LM who pay Dassault hundreds of millions so that he can teach them how to effectively design airplanes, and not vice versa - they just don’t give money away :)

[voyaka uh]

"This" puncture "allows you to reduce weight, increase reliability and simplify / reduce the cost of maintenance" ////
----
At the same time, significantly increase the RCS of the aircraft and simply worsen
aerodynamics. Not to mention the review for the pilot.
Rafal pilots dream of this bar in front of their nose at night.

[nks]

Ltd! You are still a pilot and a specialist in aerodynamics (well, I already explained to you about EPR)

Quote: voyaka uh

simply worsen
aerodynamics.

As you can see, this does not prevent the BVB from twisting the F-22.
And yes - the boom is removable, but it is not removed even at the show with the most intense aerobatics.

Quote: voyaka uh

Not to mention the review for the pilot.

Yes, I really forgot about one more thing - it simplifies refueling, since it is located as conveniently as possible for viewing and effective docking with the cone (and not like on the F-35b / c)

[voyaka uh]

If you are right (with your deep engineering knowledge ), then this rhino rod, which so remarkably simplifies and reduces the cost of maintenance, should be preserved on the latest 5-6 generation aircraft, which is being developed in France and is about to take off.
This will resolve our highly technical friendly dispute.

[nks]

Well, what a dispute we have with you - you cannot argue. For example, I suggested that you at least say your assessment or refer to an authoritative source about the EPR of the bar - you are silent. Or can you refer to the opinion of the pilot Rafal / m2000 that the bar is getting in his way? As for engineering knowledge, I am more or less ready to accept the argument "therefore" from a person with proven qualifications in the issue under discussion. As an engineer, but not an aeronautical specialist, I try not to make strong statements, realizing that I no longer know what I know in this area, although, unlike you, I read specialized literature. First of all, they look at the result (the plane is already in service at 20 years old and has tens of thousands of hours of combat missions), and here we can try to analyze it at the amateur level. You continue to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the essence of the issue: technical decisions are made based on the requirements and other constraints, as well as the existing experience. Here are some checkers for you, but someone else has to go. So the solutions in NGF (and not at all 5-6 generations) about the boom will be optimized in accordance with the requirements for it. "Just about" it will not rise, because the project is joint and so far stalls because of the Germans in the first place - even the money for the creation of a prototype has not yet been allocated.

[Zaurbek]

On 4th generation fighters (even on ours), the refueling bar is retracted ... But Raphael has a cruising sound ...

[nks]

You probably wanted to write to Alexey Voyaka? It is in his maneuver that the bar "impairs aerodynamics"

[Bad_gr]

Quote: voyaka uh

So Raphael will forever have this rhino horn, as a symbol
engineering laziness.

He was with them and at the Mirage-2000 was

[voyaka uh]

Of course, the same engineers ...
Interestingly, this horn will also be on the newest French aircraft of the 5-6th generation?
I won’t be surprised.

[Zaurbek]

Moreover, the theme is cultivated about the fact that Rafal has an EPR almost like the 5th generation ... even better than that of the Su57. on the Military Parity Site it is true.

[Bad_gr]

Quote: Zaurbek

Rafal has an ESR of almost the same as the 5th generation ...

We can agree about low ESR (but not like in the 5th generation), since there are many composites in its design, which reflect poorly.

By the way, although our S-35 is very similar to the Su-27, its EPR is several times less for the same reason.

[Bad_gr]

On our, on almost all aircraft, the booms are retractable ..

[voyaka uh]

Retractable is a normal, logical engineering solution.
Non-retractable - pathology, laziness and pofingism of engineers.

What is there to be surprised at?
At the Peugeot assembly plant, there was such a position for 30 years -
"The bonnet strut in place." It was made accurate
heel kick in a sneaker. The young guy sat astride
car - a professional blow! - and the new Peugeot goes to
happy buyer.
This was the only duty of the collector.
Sneakers were given out and changed like overalls.

[sinoptic]

will serve at least until 2070, after which it will be replaced by aircraft of the sixth generation at once

In 2070, French planes will not be required, they will already have airplane carpets - the main mode of transport for the French Caliphate.