Just going to leave this here.
Some juicy info on the Deployment of the AASM Hammer by Rafale fighters.
Anyone think we could see the early Rafale C01 with its R530-D, Magic 2, AS30-L, and BGL loadouts as a top premium for france?
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That’s not a R-530D in the background, but instead a MICA missile. Also, I’m not sure Gaijin would bother with the C01, and instead jump to Rafale C F.1 which would come with MICA EM and Magic 2, and that is far more sensible. Rafale C F.1 with MICA EM and Magic 2 can be added later on after Mirage 2000-5F gets its MICA EM and Magic 2.
Hopefully they dont.
İ dont want to see another top tier premium that ruins mm, people should really learn how to fly at lower br’s before getting into Top tier environment.
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the C01 was never armed and the stuff around it was just for display. The S.530D was also never intended to be used on the Rafale, the missile you might mix up with it in the picture is a MICA EM; the design is similar but still an entirely different missile.
If you want some early Rafale as premium options, there are these;
- Rafale M LF.1, first production standard, limited in armament and lacks OFS
- Rafale M 02, the second Marine testbed, has armament of an F.3.3, unique painting, it received the OFS later but it could still be left out to make it fit as more or less unique premium
- Rafale B 01, testbed, the only one with CVTs and likely the only with the ability to carry up to 4-5 SCALP, though it lacks almost the entire SPECTRA system
- Rafale B 301 (early), also a testbed, probly the only one that might be able to carry SCALP on the inner wing pylons, unique skins as well
Maybe I should suggest some of these and highlight what was done with them during the validation tests and such >_>
Tbh, with MICA EM coming soon and Kh-38M being in-game anyway, its fair to ask for F.3.3 right away, MICA IR can still be left out for later. The only significant differences between F.1 and F.3.3 are luckily CAS related.
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I would think that Gaijin would want to lock each of the capabilities behind another new aircraft, whether it’s an air to air weapon or air to ground. I can’t imagine they’d jump straight to an aircraft that could have MICA EM, MICA IR later on, Meteor later on, AASM later on, Talios, and etc.
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I side with @DirectSupport they shouldn’t do that because if they straight jump to F3.3 might as well jump all the way to F4.1 to have guaranteed HMD. Because ngl if Rafale ends up being the only 13.0 or 14.0 with no hmd when anybody else will have one it’ll have no point in having an F3 as gaijin even tho they like nerfing/limiting France will probably give it an HMD for balancing thus making it aalmsot immediately an F4.
Thing is that HMD at BR as high as Rafale will be a must have and i don’t see how to make that happen as technically an F3R + HMD is and F4 except if gaijin decides to put HMD on all Rafale version except maybe F1 standards but locks MICA IR and EM NG + AASM 1000 behind the F4 which would then come in 2030 or something lol.
So technically if HMD is added to all Rafales for balancing we’d have at least that :
F1 : Magic 2 + MICA EM + very limited or no A2G + RBE2-PESA with Maximum 6 A2A missiles
F2 : MICA IR + MICA EM + A2G but no AASM + RBE2-PESA with Maximum 6 A2A missiles
F3 : MICA IR + MICA EM + METEOR + A2G with AASM 125/250/500(All guidances) + RBE2-AESA with Maximum 6 A2A missiles
F4 : MICA IR(NG) + MICA EM(NG) + METEOR + A2G with all AASM types(All guidances) + RBE2-AESA with Maximum 8 A2A missiles
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The pattern on how Gaijin add a new top tier airframe is usually the same : first you have the early air to air focused variant (F16A ADF or Mirage 2000C per example), then a few patch later you get another one with good CAS capabilities or/and new air to air weaponry (F-16C or Mirage 2000D). Then after that you can maybe get another one if necessary, possible and interesting enought (Mirage 2000-5F)
So my bets are :
At first the Rafale M F.1 in December
Then they can add either the Rafale C F.3.3 for the CAS and MICA IR capabilities, or directly go for the F.4 with 8 MICA, without the Meteor at first.
Personally, i would want gaijin to get at least to the F.3 before the F.4 but it is possible that they would want a 8 missiles Rafale really fast, leaving us with only 2 Rafale in the tree and calling it a day.
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My favorite introduction planning would be from Rafale F1 to F4 variant by variant like @Kishin_SR6 said.
However, I don’t think I got your point around the HMD part. The rafale will (F2, F3) lack HMD compared to most other aircrafts at its BR, but it will at least compensate with pretty good AOA giving it flexibility (like the Mirage 4000 for exemple), so while a bit worse, it won’t be by much. Also, the TVC of the MICA and huge Magic 2 buff help significantly with high offshore shots so I’m not to concern with that.
What I would really hope with the introduction of the first or second rafale would be the Mirage 2000D RMV, which would bring the heavy CAS load out the Rafale could then be equipped with, albeit in a bit fewer number/less Air to Air to compensate. That would be a good introduction to the AASM for exemple.
Now, considering the further leap the AASM and last generation pods that we will start to see for France, but also US and other nations equivalent, I think I can loop back to a discussion we were having on the French discord with the necessity to add new far more performant SAMs, either in the form of FnF platforms (like the MICA VL, IRIS-T VL…), or far better (however multi platform) short-medium range SAM like the Crotal MK3 (or even bigger ?). This would come with the question of how to implement multi platform systems however
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The issue would be slaving/acquisition for the seeker as you can’t use TVC MICA without a lock (according to in-game limits rn I am aware it has LOAL) but with a PESA it really shouldn’t be too bad so long as the target is within the search limits of the radar.
What I wanted to say is that even if you take time to aim at the target and that its not in an ideal position, the missile will probably be able to turn extremely tight to reach the target despite the unfavourable situation
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For sure, without HMS you won’t be able to slave the missile seeker which will be a minor disadvantage but what i’m saying is that it won’t be as bad as it is with the Mirage 4000 because the radar is PESA and searches way quicker and also MICA with TVC will have a higher PoK than the Magic 2’s currently do.
JAS-39A didn’t have HMD too, yet it got it from balance standpoint.
Which was a cheap way to not to give C version to Swedish, gaijin claimed it was tested on A version (which is true) so they slapped it and called it day.
İf previous versions of Rafales did tested HMD then i dont see any reason not to include it.
The Mirage 2000-5F was the first aircraft in-game to get the HMS despite only having it tested and being compatible with it. Then came Gripen A.
With that said, a primary source exists showing that even the pre-production prototypes such as Rafale C01 were compatible with helmet mounted sights and tested with it.
Rafale F.1s should receive their helmet mounted sight. If it doesn’t have it during dev server, it’ll be reported.
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Has there been testing of HMS for F2 and F3 too?
F.2 was offered alongside HMS for export. Greek F.3 uses HMS. All Rafale variants that come into the game should get HMS.
What the Rafale F.4 will get is something much more revolutionary in terms of HMS and HMD. It’ll have symbology telling the differences between hostile and friendly aircrafts/ground vehicles, and many other features.
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Greek Rafale are F.3R, as basically all exported Rafale atm (still have to see what Serbia orders), India’s F.3R also has HMS; TARGO II iirc
Back to the main question; the TopSight HVVC was already tested on the Rafale B 01, we could get it right away
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Gripen A (later versions) did have HMD.
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Yup, primary source showed TopSight helmet for the pre-production prototypes.
Ah, so this would function similar to US JHMCS but with additional capability (TGP display on helmet display). A significant upgrade to the rudimentary holographic circle the RU helmet cueing systems use, and even above the JHMCS. Exciting.
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