MICA IR is a 50km IR missile that can be guided on the Rafale’s TV sensor using the laser rangefinder to not alert any RWR. The MICA NG IR is a 100km IR missile coming into service next year, so having a LWS in the face of 100km IR missiles is particularly advantageous for planes that have them.
Planes that have LWS are namely F-35, some Eurofighters, etc.
AESAs are currently coming into service, Tranche 4 will have them in 2025, IRST was used on the WTD61 aircraft (which are technically still part of the Luftwaffe).
Then theres also the aforementioned DA5 which carries CAESAR
True on LWS though, however doubtful its usability will be
I want to remind everyone that Eurofighter does not use IR based MAWS like most aircraft, but millimeter radar, which means it can even detect passive missiles with their engine burned out already
Eurofighter IRST is passive, it doesnt include a laser rangefinder
The Rafale is low observable so I don’t see the issue. RCS is 1/10th the EuroTycoons.
The US isn’t still providing significant upgrades to legacy fighters, rather increasing their capabilities in other areas. No need to crank and use side facing AESA when your stealth fighters are already doing that to support missiles fired from a missile bus at beyond the MAR.
Fire AIM-120D … turn around… let the stealth fighter guide it in instead.
I was listing planes that had LWS
Sure, that’s fine 'n dandy… but take note of me saying AESA there, those games would be dominated by people slinging MRAAMs (maybe even Meteors) from much longer ranges, LWS or not. It may in handy in some obscure situations, but largely relegated to a secondary/supporting role.
You’ve yet to provide any proof of that, so really stop throwing that deci around like it’s a done deal. EFT w/missiles (AS config) is 1m^2, Rafale w/missiles is presumably 1m^2 per that simulation (the RCS in a completely clean config with hidden IRST is not relevant because nobody in their right mind would try to fly that against fully kitted out 4th gens).
French discord has proof of it, they just aren’t going around sharing it until it is added. The information is provided to tech mods in advance and like the MICA (which was mostly already correctly modeled thanks to this forward info handed to tech mods / devs)… the Rafale will likely come with reduced RCS if that is a feature at the time of introduction.
So far, 11 reputable sources covering the topic iirc.
Yes and no, people would not launch their radar missiles at max ranges because the seeker of those missiles would alert the RWRs of the planes. With the new MRAAMs, you have to take into consideration the possibility that they may evade the missiles once the missile starts alerting them, so you’d hold off shooting it until they’re in the range that its very difficult to evade it even when the target has been alerted.
With a long range IR missile, you can comfortably shoot them from much longer ranges knowing that the possibility they’d take evasive maneuvers in time is likely slim to none unless their LWS alerted them.
So in this regard, the F-35 and Italian/UK Eurofighters would be better than the German ones.
the Sparrow thing? Yeah and IRIS-T is a plum
What?
Cool, then share it yourself. If not, then I suggest to simply stop throwing such speculation around TY, because unlike @DirectSupport you aren’t adding anything noteworthy to the discussion, other than hating on the EFT for the sake of it (they gave it a mechanically steered AESA? it must for sure crank because the RCS is huge ← your train of thought basically, there’s no rhyme or reason to it…).
Same with the Eurofighter my guy
yo my cat woke me up what did i miss
that “proof” was the Dassault CEO saying Rafale has the RCS of a sparrow. Just like the IRIS-T steering on a plum according to Diehls CEO
… btw what kind of Sparrow are we talking about? House sparrows have a much larger RCS
There is no need, it isn’t speculation. The sources are all public and you are welcome to research it yourself. I am of the opinion that you’ve done no studying of the subject if you haven’t come to the same conclusion to be quite honest. You’ve already been provided at least one reputable source on the matter.
They share a mega link / file storage system so from my perspective… no they don’t.
no cause your banned from ever joining it
you will see the info when the eurofighter is in the dev
German ones have the funny radar MAWS and IRIS-T combo, so they can just shoot down long range missiles
That is a secondary source, of which is mostly anecdotal. As I said… there are almost a dozen sources that when cross referenced all suggest the same thing. Not only this, but the stealth features of fighter jets are all primarily something that is VISIBLE. These features are heavily lacking on the Eurofighter.
I am not, ? I’m a member of the discord and frequently assist with these reports.
That is an interesting counter argument, what do you do when you’ve exhausted all forms of self defense and have nothing but guns when the enemy goes to merge with you?
In a perfect world, men like me would not exist… but this is not a perfect world. If you know, you know.
With the new MRAAMs, you have to take into consideration the possibility that they may evade the missiles once the missile starts alerting them, so you’d hold off shooting it until they’re in the range that its very difficult to evade it even when the target has been alerted.
Sure, that’s possible, but you also have to take note that the MRAAMs we got recently weren’t that well modelled all in all, I’ve had 120A’s fail to hit things from 20km’s out for example. The story would be a lot different with missiles like 120D or Meteor.
So in this regard, the F-35 and Italian/UK Eurofighters would be better than the German ones.
Italy doesn’t have an LWR equipped on their EFTs, only the British do.
Not the French one
stuff really goes over your head doesn’t it