Helmet Mounted Display or HMD by itself can just be a display that shows some information(like speed) with no other additional functionality
Helmet Mounted Sight or HMS is basically the thing that the MiG-29 has where its a simple sight which can be used to lock with the radar or aim missiles
Helmted Mounted Cueing System or HMCS often is both of these combined
but its all a bit wishy-washy because the terms are often used interchangeably
Yes, that is why I was confused :). As for the use of general HMD, I don’t really know myself, but I heard from “Ate” (former Etendrad and Rafale pilot), from his video on the rafale, that while the F4 is the first Rafale to have an HMD (or HMS I don’t really know, as I did not even know there was a difference initially), Thales had long developed some, for the Mirage 2000 but also other Rafale variant, but the DGA only bought them for the F4.
That is why, for exemple, there’s an active bug report acknowledged by the devs for possibly adding an HMS to the M2K5F currently in game
Exported Rafale F.3Rs received third-party modifications, incl. HMD, by some Nations. The Rafale F.4.1 standard however is the first one to come with Scorpion HMCS by default.
Its also the first world wide multicolor HMCS in Service as far as I am aware.
that is correct. i do find it weird though that they prioritized colour over binocular vision.
but for that there’s the Striker 2 ;)
well, there have been multiple attempts before that :
Topsight/Topnight → which given the TopOwl Helicopter HMD
Sagem Gerfaut → in 2004, the AdAE bought 336 for Rafale F.3 standard (serviced in 2009), and not the Rafale F.3R which was integrated in 2018.
with similar argumentation than F-5C having Flares/Chaffs - HMDS Could be added to:
Mirage 3C & Mirage F1.C → SAAF South-african HMDS (the 1st HMDS in the world)
I don’t think its going to reduce RCS by much, or increase signature more than bombs or missiles under Rafale belly
The diagram is incorrect and does not agree with any of my first and secondary sources.
I’ve seen one picture of a Rafale carrying 8 missiles total, but it doesn’t matter. This plane will be globally outclassed no matter which one they add into the game. I have no idea why france is so adverse to adding more missiles onto their airplanes.
I don’t see how it is outclassed by carrying two less missiles
I am inclined to agree, I am biased but I believe the Eurodelta’s (at least Typhoon and Rafale) are the best 4.5th generation fighters ever built. I think perhaps being outclassed is the wrong term, second-best however i think would be correct. The F-15EX comes close but has unavoidable drawbacks in comparison.
Given that I now know those 14 hardpoints are actually 12 given that the other 2 are for pods only, i think the Rafale may well be less versatile than Typhoon overall with certain admirable niches but it certainly isn’t outclassed it is definitely in the competition and a tricky adversary.
But how many BVR missiles can they carry? Asraam and IRIS-T aren’t really BVR like the MICAs.
Eurofighter can carry six BVRs; usually four Meteor and two AIM-120 + two IRIS-T / ASRAAM. Rafale F.4.1 is on par with that; four Meteor, four MICA.
What I see here is 6 BVR missiles for Eurofighter but 8 BVR missiles for Rafale.
Do note that Diehl states 10km range and 5km altitude for IRIS-T when surface launched. In comparison, MICA does 20km range and 11km altitude, more than double in range and that’s the big advantage.
It’ll carry less missiles, weigh less, get to altitude faster and higher, while still retaining more BVR capability.
But how many BVR missiles can they carry?
Meteor is a BVR missile. The Rafale carries 4 Meteors at max, the Typhoon carries in a standard air-superiority loadout 6, or in a QRA 4.
Asraam and IRIS-T aren’t really BVR like the MICAs.
IRIS-T you are correct. ASRAAM you are not. The range of a Block 3 ASRAAM is 50km, the current Block 6 ASRAAM is supposed to improve on this. The newest MICA derivative boasts 60KM-80KM of range. So we can assume ASRAAM has something similar.
The Typhoon can carry Meteors on every single pylon it can carry AMRAAM which would bar the central pylon and the outboard pylons. The Typhoon also has dual pylons for Meteor and ASRAAM whilst never used the concept suggests 14 Meteor missiles in carriage, with 2 ASRAAM/IRIS-T which can be upped to 4.
The Rafale has a maximum of 8 AAM’s.
What I see here is 6 BVR missiles for Eurofighter but 8 BVR missiles for Rafale.
It’ll carry less missiles, weigh less, get to altitude faster and higher, while still retaining more BVR capability.
I am confused is it carrying 8 missiles or 6?
Its well known the Eurofighter can go from runway to 30,000ft in 30 seconds which is not something the Rafale can do, in addition the Eurofighter has a higher service ceiling leading to extended range of the Meteor and ASRAAM. Eurofighter also now has a better radar than the Rafale on every aircraft of Tranche 2 standard or higher in Anglo-German service as was already established previously in this thread.
It is much better to know what the range of ASRAAM is when it is surface launched at 0 ground speed than to take air to air range which is subject to speed and altitude of launch aircraft which we don’t know of.
Rafale LF.1: six missiles (two Magic, four MICA EM)
Rafale F.1 → F.3R: six missiles (though the modification has been available since 2015)
Rafale F.4.1 → F.X.Y: eight missiles
8 missiles for late* Rafale, plus, do note that by the time we see Rafale F.4 in-game, MICA NG will be in service in 2026. And that itself is a 40km surface launched missile or a 130km ranged missile when air to air as cited by Air and Cosmos.
I honestly do not think this is a difficult task to achieve.