First clear pictures of Rafale C F.4.2, looks like service introduction is very soon, as markings were also already applied;
Time to make a Suggestion hehe
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Maybe the F4.1 suggestion should be converted to F4.2 as it would be so similar in game
While I could technically do that, its already passed to Devs, I am kinda forced to make a new one.
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There are never too many Rafale suggestions, and there are never too many Rafales in the game either
This is a service variant I’m actually pretty excited to see come into the game eventually. Beautiful to see, just now needs MICA NG to come online with it.
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Though I’m assuming we won’t see MICA NG anytime soon, considering even the MICA EM is really good and the IR can’t even be added yet
MIca ng em could happen with new missiles with more range, mica ng ir won’t happen because the 5th gen gang would be bullied by it.
But my opinion is that Mica ng ir should be a way to have Rafale on the same level as 5th gen planes.
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That’s probably what’s gonna happen, and it should since the Rafale will be France’s only top tier jet from now on (except a copypaste F-35 but that doesn’t count).
We’ll probably have 3 Rafales, for example: a PESA one with the current loadout at a lower br; the F3-R with maybe MICA-IR at a bit higher br; a F.4.2/3 with MICA NGs.
Can be something else but you get the idea
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I think NG IR and EM are actually just as likely in the long run.
It might even be possible that they don’t stagger the addition of both missiles.
Overall a MICA IR and a MICA IR NG would overall perform similarly in war thunder’s environment.
Many advantages of the NG would not be ported to the game - for example 2 way datalink would most likely be very dumbed down. The increase in range wouldn’t be game changing, since I see the base IR variant be extremely strong anyway.
The seekers would probably perform similarly, that is, not realistically at all (and tbf for reasons, war thunder is still a game we don’t want inflatable seekers). I also don’t think the huge range of the missile would be that important. In datalink, the EM would be better (faster, longer range), and in IR lock mode, there’s just so many people shooting everywhere that people are constantly flaring and would spoof the missile very easily (like the R27ET)
I think a MICA EM NG would overall be a better improvement over the MICA EM than the IR NG would be over the IR, simply because it would be the MICA with the best absolute range.
TLDR, the MICA IR is going to be OP anyway, I don’t think the MICA IR NG will be that much more OP. The upgrade will be far less substantial than the MICA EM to MICA EM NG
I could see an earlier Rafale with just 6 missiles, mica em and magic 2s and like you said pesa, sitting at 14.3 in its current state. F3R getting Meteor and MICA-IR.
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I don’t see people flaring if they believe enemies are greater than 30-40km or more away like in early game. They’ll believe that the only missiles being launched are ARH and drop chaff since it would be rare for them to expect an IR missile to reach out and hit them from that far or even greater.
Heck, I still occasionally die to R-27ETs just because the missile is one of several missiles mixed in with the enemies’ ARH so I believed that the ET missile was also a ARH.
There’s also interestingly the matter of Stratus-RS also known as FC/ASW. A missile being co-developed by both France and UK that has an even longer range than the Meteor, intended for anti-awacs purposes (although is also stated to be a highly maneuverable missile so I can’t see why it can’t target fighters as well) and is slated for service entry in 2028 according to several recent sources.
FC/ASW: deep strike critical to Europe’s sovereignty | MBDA
Thanks to @_OceanFish for finding the original video.
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2028 is only for the land strike version. 2034 is projected for the anti-ship version and an air to air one isnt even mentioned for most things talking about dates so id imagine its even farther off
Just had someone try and argue that the F35 is faster than the Rafale, even as a Typhoon main and my civic duty as a British main to bash the French 24/7 365, I already know that the Rafale is so much faster…
There’s two versions. There’s the Stratus-LO which is a subsonic low-observable variant for use against land and sea targets relying on the low-observable aspect to penetrate defenses.
Then there’s the Stratus-RS which is a supersonic highly maneuverable variant that depends on supersonic speeds with ramjet engine to penetrate defenses and this variant is for use against land, sea, and high-value air targets.
So it is not that the Stratus or FC/AWS have separate land-strike version or anti-ship version, rather they are multi-mission missiles with 2 different variants that looks at how to accomplish their set of missions.
You can watch this video where they state that the Stratus-RS is meant for anti-awacs missions as well. 1:30 timestamp if you can’t be bothered to watch the first minute and a half.
Further, several sources state 2028 is the planned service date for the Stratus-RS missiles.
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Oh yeah true I forgot about the 6 missiles. Would be fair tbh
the antiship is rumored to also be anti-air, but only slow moving, big targets (tanker-awacs)
Considering its rumored speed of Mach 3 - Mach 5, i’d say it’s inline with what a meteor can offer (but with more range and a bigger warhead). However i doubt it will be as maneuverable as Meteor, and it’s not clear yet if it will carry a proximity fuze
Speculation only for now anyway
Whatever its planned service date, it’s a shame they didn’t plan on fitting it in submarines (but i digress from Rafale)
Well, I would be curious then to see what MBDA means by highly-maneuverable.
You can even see that the maneuverability of the missile is such that it is intended to be able to avoid SAMs while attacking.
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Heh i wouldn’t give too much credit to a promotional video for now. I have no doubt it will be maneuverable as it is intended to be so, but the video looks a bit arcadish when it comes to its physics ngl.
Although i’ll concede an antiship missile can in fact be quite maneuverable :
hopefully we will get the first test videos soon
I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the graphics and instead the concept which is evading SAMs. I can’t imagine a missile that’s capable of evading SAMs could be outmaneuvered by fighter jets.
It’s interesting you pointed out the Exocet. According to the chief of french navy when questioned by the UK House of Commons, he states that the Exocet will be outdated by 2030 in terms of speed, agility, and range. And goes on to state that the Exocet will be replaced by Stratus-RS.
FAM0004 - Evidence on Future Anti-Ship Missile Systems Page 17
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