Interesting video. Gives you a good view of how the French do it.
Yet another video with annoying garbage music. You won’t miss anything with the mute button active.
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Interesting video. Gives you a good view of how the French do it.
Yet another video with annoying garbage music. You won’t miss anything with the mute button active.
love the French graffiti – i mean artwork!
Operating the CATOBAR with style
The nonconformist Charlie de Gaulle would be proud!
In contrast, US defense industry is dragging the customers by the nose – they are clearly the one making the shots (even if it means forcing/hoaxing the Congress into buying 500 JSF in 5 years even BEFORE the flight test is anywhere near completion). “Cut the budget and we will raise the per copy price!”
Russian defense industry is still very much in disarray. Carrier-building dock (located in Ukraine, not Russia) is still in pieces/bankrupted.
European defense industry (or whatever is left of it) seem to be in good independent yet cooperative relation with the government and military. Industry rely heavily on gov investment and oversea order (which gov promotes). Good contracts.
One of the best looking jets of 21st Century.
F/A-18E (Rafale’s solo CATOBAR counterpart) in aggressor paint scheme:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA—Navy/Boeing-F-A-18E-Super/1560798/L/
Rafale B in stunning Tiger Meet “Tiger Ocean” paint scheme:
http://www.italianspotter.eu/rafale%20tiger_-3.jpg
It’s too bad that Tiger Meet is becoming more and more as a just-European tradition.
http://www.natotigers.org/tigermeet/index.php
It’s amazing how far Europeans have gone (more self-reliance, with obvious exception of JSF participation) since the end of the Cold War, though.
Stretching the point a bit, though not officially recognized so, could Rafale be French version of “joint” strike fighter?
Rafale was designed with land-based and carrier-based services in mind from the get-go and it is to gradually replace no fewer than 5 types in French naval and air force: Super Etendard, Etendard IVP; Jaguar, Mirage F1 and Mirage 2000.
Rumor has it that Rafale has just emerged victorious in Brazil’s fighter competition.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-brazil-arms8-2009sep08,0,5843260.story