DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force

Defense News: DTN News - FRENCH DEFENSE NEWS: First Rafale With Active Antenna Radar Join French Air Force 

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources The Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) 

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - October 3, 2012: The Rafale is the first European combat aircraft in service benefit from technology AESA ( Active Electronically Scanned Array ) has been the subject of studies and demonstrations earlier and reflects the culmination of over 10 years R & D efforts on active antennas. It significantly improves its detection range. Registered C137, and for the Air Force, he will join in the coming days airbase Mont-de-Marsan.

The development of AESA radar RBE2 was decided in the context of a program to improve sensor Rafale, which also includes a missile launch detector and an improved front sector optronics new generation, two systems also equipping the Rafale C137.

The Rafale is the first device omnirole hunting, that is to say, it may, during the same flight and substantially simultaneously, providing different types of missions, such as ground attack and air defense . Totally versatile, the Rafale provides the full range of tasks assigned to a fighter: superiority and air defense, land attack and maritime, close fire support of ground troops, reconnaissance, nuclear strike. It is also the first aircraft designed from the outset to operate both from a land base since an aircraft carrier. It is implemented by the Air Force and Navy.

 To date, 180 series aircraft have been ordered by the DGA and delivered 111 aircraft in its three versions: 36 cars embedded "M" for the Navy, 38 seater "B" and 37 cars "C" for the army of air. The Rafale has been deployed in Afghanistan and Libya.

The main industrial ensuring the delivery of Rafale are Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran and MBDA.

Press Contacts

DGA / COM

Guy Bertrand

Tel. : 06 84 96 73 54

Email: bertrand.guy @ dga.defense.gouv.fr

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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources The Directorate General of Armaments (DGA)
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - NATO SUMMIT IN CHICAGO: Summit Will Deal With Range Of Issues, NATO General Says

Defense News: DTN News - NATO SUMMIT IN CHICAGO: Summit Will Deal With Range Of Issues, NATO General Says
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Jim Garamone - American Forces Press Service
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 9, 2012: Afghanistan will dominate the NATO summit in Chicago later this month, but alliance leaders will deal with other issues as well, a senior NATO commander said here yesterday.

Gen. Stephane Abrial of the French air force told the Defense Writers Group the nations’ leaders also will deal with partnership capability, “smart defense” and other matters. Abrial is commander of NATO’s transformation command.

“On partnership, there will be a reaffirmation that NATO does not operate in isolation,” the general said. The alliance is keen to work more closely with all kinds of partners from other nations to international institutions to no-governmental organizations, he added.


The NATO-led actions in Libya are an example of the alliance working with non-NATO partners, such as the United Arab Emirates and the Arab League. NATO also works with the European Union to ensure that the two institutions work together smoothly, when needed.

How to work together with these disparate groups is part and parcel of the Allied Command Transformation mission, Abrial said.

On capabilities, the leaders will discuss the progress on decisions made at NATO’s 2010 summit in Lisbon, Portugal, including the smart defense initiative. Smart defense is about how the alliance will continue to develop and maintain the capabilities needed to fulfill its missions despite the new era of austerity.

Another initiative, “connected forces,” ensures that all forces can work well together. “The key word there is interoperability, and the three strands of that are training, exercises and technology,” Abrial said. “When I say capabilities, I don’t mean just a piece of equipment, but all aspects associated with it.”

This includes doctrine, leadership, facilities and much more, he explained, and these will be discussed in Chicago.

With a few exceptions, budgets across NATO are either steady or going down, the general said. “We expect this situation to be with us for quite a while … and therefore, it is very important we make the best possible use of every euro, dollar or pound that we get.”

The United States is reducing its defense budget, but there is no danger as yet that the U.S. military will not be able to operate across the full spectrum of operations, Abrial said. “This is not possible in Europe,” he added. “That is why when we look at smart defense, we look at ways to reduce the consequences of this austerity.”

Part of this is aligning national priorities with NATO needs. In other words, a nation may decide to specialize in detecting biohazards, for example. Since “Nation A” has this capability, “Nation B” does not have to develop it to the same extent. Both nations, therefore, save.

“Specialization does not mean we are going to say to anybody, ‘We must oblige you to do this and stop doing that,’” Abrial said. “We don’t have the mandate, authority or will to do that.


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Jim Garamone - American Forces Press Service
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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