Decoding Weapon Package of Rafale

Indian Airforce recently inducted the first batch of 5 Rafale a few days ago. This french aircraft will surely boost the power of IAF. But what makes this aircraft the number one choice for the fourth largest airforce- its weapon package, the Rafale is fitted with 14 hardpoints and five of these are capable of drop tanks (external fuel) and heavy ordnance. The Rafale comes with a package of many advance missiles that can be used in a dog fight, precision bombing, and performing the airstrikes just like Balakot.

The following are the missiles and types of equipment that can be integrated with Rafale and can boost its performance.

1. Meteor BVR (Beyond Visual Range) Air to Air missile

Lets first understand the term BVR- A beyond-visual-range missile (BVR) is an air-to-air  (BVRAAM) that is capable of engaging at ranges of 37 KM.

Meteor is an active radar-guided missile BVR developed by MBDA. Meteor offers a multi-shot capability against long-range maneuvering targets, jets, UAVs, and cruise missiles with a range of over 120 KM and a no-escape zone of 60 KM with the speed of 4 Mach (4x speed of sound). Powered by a solid-fueled ramjet and weighs around 200 Kg this missile is considered one of the best BVR missiles.

Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and SAAB Gripen are the platforms that can launch this missile. Meteor missiles entered service on Swedish Air Force JAS 39 Gripens fighter jets in April 2016 and are used by

French Airforce and Navy, Swedish Airforce, Spanish Airforce, UK Royal Airforce, Italian Airforce, and now the Indian Airforce.

2. MICA Missile

The MICA is an anti-air multi-target, all-weather, fire-and-forget short and medium-range missile system developed by MBDA. Both the air and ground-based launch system is available. the missile was commissioned in 1996 to equip the Rafale and Mirage 2000.

This 112 Kg missile can destroy a target within a range of 80 Km. The MICA can be used within visual range (WVR) and beyond visual range (BVR) with a speed of Mach 4. It is very effective in short-range conflict. There is two variant of air launch version: 

• MICA RF ( active radar homing )- Active radar homing (ARH) is a missile guidance method in which a missile contains a radar transceiver and the electronics necessary for it to find and track its target autonomously. Whereas the semi-active radar homing uses the receiver only.
• MICA IR (imaging infra-red)- is a guidance system that uses the infrared (IR) light emission from a target to track and follow it. These missiles are also referred to as the “heat seeker” missile. The IR system present in the missile can act as the extra sensor to provide IR imagery.

Recently Indian SU30 MKI were also integrated by the MICA IR variant. The air variant of MICA can be launched from Rafale, Mirage 2000, SU30 MKI, F-16E block 60, and Mirage F1.

3. SCALP Missile (Storm Shadow)

This is another gem manufactured by the MBDA. It is a very long-range air-to-surface cruise missile. This 1300 Kg missile can carry a warhead of about 450 Kg with a speed of 0.8 Mach and can deliver it within 550 Km range. It is a fire and forgets missile, programmed before launch. Once launched, the missile cannot be controlled or commanded to self-destroy and its target information cannot be changed. This missile uses mainly GPS and active-radar homing system for guidance.

Recent reports say that the Egyptian airforce used this missile against Turkey at Al Watiya base in Libya. Such a missile with a 500+ KM range can help India to perform Balakot Airstrikes much easily.
Countries like the UK, France, Italy, UAE, Saudi Arab, Qatar, and Greece.

4. HAMMER

Hammer (Highly Agile and Manoeuvrable Munition Extended Range) is the Air-to-Ground Modular Weapon (AASM) developed by Safran Electronics & Defense a French company. AASM comprises a frontal guidance kit and a rear-mounted range extension kit matched to a dumb bomb. The weapon is modular because it can integrate different types of guidance units and different types of bombs. NOTE: Hammer is the guidance kit like the Israeli SPIKE that was used in Balakot Airstrike.

The basic version features a 250-kilogram bomb plus Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance. Other variants add infrared homing or laser guidance to increase accuracy; there are also versions with 125-kilogram, 500-kilogram, or 1,000-kilogram bomb bodies.

It entered service in 2007 with the French Air Force and Naval Aviation, from Rafale and Mirage 2000. In 2011, AASM was given the name HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range). India recently purchased this weapon under the emergency purchase amidst the Ladhak stand-off.

5. Exocet AM39 Anti-Ship Missile

Exocet AM39 is the airborne version of the Exocet anti-ship missile family built by MBDA. It can be launched from strike aircraft, Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and helicopters. With the weight of 670 Kg, this missile has a range of up to 70 km, depending on the altitude and speed of the aircraft, the Exocet AM39 enables the aircraft to remain at range from enemy air defenses.

When carrying out a low altitude attack, the missile may also be launched under the target ship radar coverage. Ingress is at a very low altitude over the sea (sea-skimming).

Other Important equipment

Rafale not only comes with better weapon package but also with advanced avionics, Electronic Warefare suite, and other sensors.

SPECTRA or “Self-Protection Equipment Countering Threats to Rafale Aircraft” was jointly developed by Thales Group and MBDA for the Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft.

The full SPECTRA integrated electronic warfare suite provides long-range detection, identification, and accurate localization of infrared homing, radiofrequency, and laser threats. The system incorporates a radar warning receiver, laser warning, and Missile Approach Warning for threat detection plus a phased array radar jammer and a decoy dispenser for threat countering. It also includes a dedicated management unit for data fusion and reaction decision.

Tailos Pod- This system is very important for ground missions. This system helps in the precision bombing, tracking, mapping, and surveillance. Thus such a system is used for better accuracy and performance. Flight-tested for the first time in 2016, TAILOS was successfully qualified by the French defence procurement agency in 2018 for deployment by Dassault’s Rafale Omni-role aircraft. The new-generation pod has been delivered to French forces and is now fully combat-ready.

Edge Over Enemies

Rafale is a game-changer for IAF, which is known as the 4.5 generation aircraft, the Rafale is considered to be one of the finest fighters in the world and is described as an ‘omnirole’ aircraft that can take up several missions on a single flight. This aircraft is combat proved in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria which provide it an upper hand over the Chinese J20 5th Gen. fighter. Indian Rafale will come with 13 India specific changes, according to the need of IAF.

The IAF was far superior to the Pakistani Airforce after the induction of SU30 MKI and IAF will lead the race even more. Pakistan mainly uses Chinese weapons. The reliability of Chinese weapons can be calculated when Pakistan used F-16 as the main strike team fleet instead of JF-17, the use of SAAB Erieye instead of Chinese SHANXI ZDK-03 AEW&C for Operation Swift Retort (attack against India after Balakot Strike) also indicates the trust towards Chinese equipment.

Although only two squadrons (36 Jets) are purchased which is not sufficient to fulfill the forty-two squadron strength for a two-front war. The addition of two more squadrons will help to maintain the squadron strength and will also buy some more time for indigenous Tejas MK II.

Also read Biggest Threat From Pakistan Air Force