Dassault Rafales sold at last

forced to reduce our permanent liaison staff in France

I'm sure contributed to our slowness to stay on top of serious technical problems

This neglect became more pressing as we extended and re-extended the Mirage's operational life

the technicians worked harder to keep the Mirage flying

Quote:

You mean somebody told you that once, and that's all you got.

No . I mean I know the men from those squadrons . I am repeating what they told me .

The problem with the deniers is that they are incapable of interpreting ANY DATA WHATSOEVER in a way that will contradict their preconceived opinion

Airbus DS enhances Eurofighter Typhoon
By Richard Tomkins
July 16, 2015 at 11:52 AM

MUNICH, Germany, July 16 (UPI) -- Flight testing of aerodynamics upgrades to enhance the performance and capabilities of the Typhoon fighter have been conducted by Airbus Defense and Space.

The Aerodynamic Modification Kit, part of a larger enhanced maneuverability program for the Eurofighter multi-role jet, entails the addition of fuselage strakes and leading-edge root extensions to increase the maximum lift created by the wing by 25 percent.

The result is an increased turn rate, a tighter turning radius, and improved nose-pointing ability at low speed.

"This program has been a tremendous success with very impressive results – in some areas even better than we expected," said Eurofighter Project Pilot Germany Raffaele Beltrame. "We saw angle of attack values around 45 percent greater than on the standard aircraft, and roll rates up to 100 percent higher, all leading to increased agility.

"It´s right to say that the ... work has allowed us to discover a new aircraft with much higher performance and greater potential to meet the challenges of the years ahead." [...]

Eurofighter Needs Upgrades to Exploit 15-Year Gap to F-35 Jet
Bloomberg By Benjamin D Katz Jul 5, 2015 7:01 PM

[...] The plane, made by an alliance of BAE Systems Plc, Airbus Group SE and Finmeccanica SpA, could be rendered obsolete once Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 becomes a mainstay of aerial defenses for the U.S. and its allies in 15 years, Royal United Services Institute researcher Justin Bronk said in the study.

With the Eurofighter slow to get key electronic-warfare, communications and detection upgrades, the aging Tornado has remained a go-to jet for the U.K, Germany and Italy, performing bombing runs in Libya, where the French Dassault Aviation SA Rafale also showed its abilities, and flying missions against Islamic State. Tornado’s exit from 2019 should let Eurofighter demonstrate its prowess before F-35s are widespread, RUSI said. [...]

Rafale deal: France says no to offset clause, yes to Make in India
By PTI | 16 Aug, 2015, 01.17PM IST

The French government has rejected Indian negotiators' demand for a 50 per cent offset clause citing sharp cost escalation but offered to participate in 'Make in India' projects to carry forward the talks for 36 Rafale fighter jets that have hit turbulence.

Defence sources said India's insistence on the offset clause, tweaking of weaponary technology and plans to set up two bases for Rafale fighter jets would lead to cost escalation.

Offset policy was first introduced as part of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), 2005, under which a foreign company has to invest back a portion of the deal into India.

"The 50 per cent offset clause was part of the original tender that was floated for 126 fighter jets. The French President and Indian Prime Minister have now decided to go in for a direct purchase of 36 Rafale jets. So, how can 50 per cent offset clause be asked when the French are offering the fighters at the same rate at which its Air Force is buying," defence sources said.

They added the French have instead offered to undertake 'Make in India' initiatives. "The French can look at the option for making Falcon business jets in India or even the Rafales for future besides other projects," the sources said, adding the French government has made it clear that their companies would like to be part of 'Make in India' initiative.

The sources said the offset clause will simply drive up the cost of each aircraft.

It is not just the offset clause that the French are worried about. Indian Air Force wants to integrate a Israeli helmet mounted display with the Rafale fighter jets besides tweaking the weaponry technology so that the aircraft can fire a missile other than what the Rafales carry. The missile, sources said is of American make.

"The changes asked for are not like changing tyres in cars. It takes time, effort and money, all of which will again drive up the cost," the sources said.

Also, India wants to set up two bases for the 36 Rafale jets. This means twice the planned machinery, testing facilities besides others which would again jack up the prices, the sources said.

Both Qatar and Egypt, which have struck similar deals with the French government, have gone in for one base only.

"Can understand that India's strategic needs might be different but generally two bases are needed when one has more than just two squadrons of a particular aircraft. Setting up of two bases will also cost more," the sources said.

"The benchmarks for the prices are already there since the deals with Egypt and Qatar have been struck. The price of the aircraft to India cannot be less than what the other two countries have bought it for," the sources said.

They added that no talks have been held between the two sides in the recent past, indicating a likely stalemate. [...]

Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:37am EST
UAE in final stages of talks to buy Rafale jets
DUBAI | BY TIM HEPHER
REUTERS/REGIS DUVIGNAU

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in the final stages of negotiations to buy French Rafale fighter jets, the head of the Gulf nation’s air force told Reuters on Wednesday.

Abu Dhabi, which is looking to purchase 60 fighters worth an estimated $10 billion, is studying the Dassault-built Rafale after rejecting the four-nation Eurofighter.

“I think we are in the final stage of negotiations,” Major General Ibrahim Nasser Al Alawi, commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, said in an interview at the Dubai Airshow when asked how close the UAE was to a deal to buy the Rafale.

In Paris, the French defense ministry declined to comment and Dassault Aviation was not immediately available.

After failing for years to win an order for its warplane, France has sold 24 Rafales each to Egypt and Qatar in recent months and is in talks to finalize the sale of another 36 to India.

Germany Suspends Eurofighter Deliveries Due to Quality Problems
By Lars Hoffman 4:50 p.m. EDT October 13, 2015

GOTTINGEN, Germany — The German Air Force has temporarily suspended delivery of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets following the discovery of quality problems involving the connection between the vertical stabilizers and the body of the aircraft.

In a notification to the German Bundestag, the Ministry of Defence said that drillings and the removal of burr were not conducted according to specifications.

The Typhoon suffered a similar problem last year when Germany, Italy and Spain all halted deliveries of the jet after a number of drilled bolt holes in a different part of the rear fuselage were identified as having not been de-burred satisfactorily.

The Eurofighter consortium confirmed that it had now found a new manufacturing quality problem on the aircraft.

"A manufacturing non-conformance has been identified during the assembly of the fin to the rear fuselage of the aircraft manufactured to date. The topic is related to the holes drilled for four of the bolts that connect the fins to the rear fuselages," Eurofighter said in a statement.

Consortium member BAE Systems is responsible for the manufacture of parts involved in last year's problem, as well as the current issue.

The consortium, which involves Airbus Defence and Space, BAE Systems, and Finmeccanica, said the problem does not affect aircraft flight safety and therefore there will be no operational or life-time limitations to the Typhoon.

A spokesman for the German MoD stressed that while flight safety is not affected in the short run, long-time effects were possible.

Acceptance of delivery at this point could impact warranty claims, he said.

The MoD note to the Bundestag said that it could not be ruled out that the structure of the fast jet and the bolted connections in the specified area may be damaged.

Experts of the Bundeswehr, the NATO agency NETMA and industry are analyzing the problem.

According to the MoD, all of the German Eurofighters delivered from tranche 1 through to the current 3A standard are affected.

All German Eurofighters in service are being closely monitored and operations of the German fleet are not expected to be affected, said the MoD.

The British Ministry of Defence said it was continuing to accept deliveries and operate the aircraft as normal. At this point it is unknown whether other Eurofighter nations will follow the German lead and halt deliveries.

Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain are the core partners in the Typhoon program. Export customers Austria and Saudi Arabia already operate the jet. Oman also has ordered the aircraft, and Kuwait recently said it would purchase 24 Typhoons but has not yet signed a final contract.