The Rafale in-game is about as good as it can physically get bar its loadout.
The Typhoon, assuming we get a later variant rather than just incremental upgrades for the current Tpyhoon will get
CAPTOR-M to CAPTOR-E
Striker 1 HMD to Striker 2 HMD
Different IR missiles
Different ARH missiles
Different A2G weapons
Maybe extra DASS/ECM capabilities
and probably a few others things im missing. Now hopefully we’ll get some of that like the Striker 2 on the current FGR4, but still a later variant would see quite a major upgrade in terms of radar performance.
Just wierd they basically skipped Rafale F3. I know we skipped the Typhoon F2 for example, but thats just because the F2 (and more importantly Germanys equivalent) didnt have A2G at all, but what we have currently is an F2 with A2G.
PESA + 6x MICA upgrading to AESA + 8x MICA would have been a reasonable upgrade track for them
But… an event described in Paul Tremelings book “Harrier how to be a fighter pilot” where he had a BOL packet fall out on take-off in a Harrier Gr9, the ATC thought it was sparks falling from the engine but was just a single BOL packet, so that might be just 1-2 packet(s).
Tbf, its not really gonna matter if the Rafale doesnt get any better, seeing as it blows everything in-game out of the water already, so unless things change, it wont have any real challengers until 5th gen it seems.
And as far as MICA goes, it was a choice on their end
They could leave the current F3R variant with 6 MICA EMs or even name it F4.1 and leave it with 6 MICA EMs
Rafale F3 got HMD because it was tested prior to the Rafale F4
The Typhoon FGR4 is being tested with the Striker II right now and is a more minor upgrade than going from no HMD to HMD. For the most part, its just a multi coloured display
HMD I can accept on the ground of balance, but the extra 2x MICA and AESA radar was just a wierd thing to skip too
Exactly. the FGR4 is actually an F2 with PW4s and Brimstone 1s.
The Rafale F3 is actually an Rafale F4.1
You can see why Typhoon players are a little annoyed, especially when the things we do have like CAPTOR-M or even Striker 1 HMD is so badly modeled.
Well
When AESA Typhoon comes, it will have a better radar than Rafale
Striker II will also be a better HMD (depending on how it gets implemented)
More missiles
Better air to ground weapons (If IR AASM gets nerfed)
Flight performances are close and the small difference might not matter as much at that point. Plus EF is faster …
As I said earlier, the only potential advantage Rafale will have will be IR MICA (NG)'s longer range and thrust vectoring (And MICA EM’s thrust vectoring)
I dont think it really adds all that much, the main thing would just be multi-coloured rather than a single colour, which would be more of a QoL change. I dont think there is any meaningful “balance” change going between the 2. Things like IFF DL, should be on the Striker 1 and has been reported months ago.
Not saying it should or shouldn’t, but I just don’t see it happening
They will likely leave the current mechanical radar Typhoons with the current HMD
In essence to create more of a difference between the current Typhoons and the higher BR AESA ones …
Sure, everything can change (“No afterburning jets will be added” etc)
But what I linked is k_stepanovich (radar dev)'s response saying in his view “AESA have better reliability and lower energy loses than PESA.” (I.e. in the game PESA will be essentially the same as AESA)
Again, they havent done that with the Rafale, so why the Typhoon?
Any way, what I reckon they should actually do is add the Typhoon F2 they skipped with CAPTOR-M, Aim-9M and Aim-120B and then just upgrade the FGR4 as and when appropriate.
Things like Striker II and Spear-3 can come immediately
CAPTOR-E ASAP, especially if CAPTOR-M wont be fixed
Symbology wise, it would look exactly like it does currently, when a target is detected by radar, but would instead display information gathered by DL, just like the Rafale and A-10C
Not on the Typhoon at the very least it wont (im 95% sure), but might be able to on F-35/Tempest, maybe (at least i’ve never heard of that on the Typhoon)
You can see the Striker II really well here:
Main upgrades are:
NVG intergration (this is the really big thing IRL)
Wider FoV (40°)
Colourised display
Lighter than the Striker 1 (not really anything to note within WT unless we get slightly better G tolerance/stamina? )
More sensitive/accurate headtracking and also dual mode tracking (Again not relevant to WT)
threat system displays (SAM radars, etc) (But im not sure if this is a Striker II upgrade or something also on the Striker I, but is something that should already be on our MFDs at the very least)
Virtual MFDs (Augmented reality stuff)
Noise Reduction + 3D audio (For things like RWR warnings)
Edit:
Yes Stirker II can be used to see through aircraft
The highly advanced Striker II supports the display of high resolution sensor systems such as a distributed aperture systems, which allows pilots see through the body of the aircraft - Source
But I dont beleive the Typhoon has the necessary cameras for this at this time and even if it did, doesnt mean it has to be modeled, a lot of the Striker II wont be by the sounds of it (Main thing that would be nice is the QoL from the colourised display everything else sounds too complicated to be added to WT at this time, except maybe a limited selection of MFDs to display in the HMD)
There are other differences between the PESA RBE2 and AESA RBE2 beyond the type of ESA used (which would be noticeable in game). For example, off the top of my head:
PESA RBE2 has significantly worse range.
PESA RBE2 only has half the data link channels of the AESA version.
Unless I’m mistaken Rafale did not have any other HMD before the Scorpion
So it was a choice between no HMD or Scorpion
But with Typhoon it will be a choice between a decent HMD and a better HMD …
Again, not saying it should or shouldn’t get Striker II, but I just find it unlikely that the devs will give it to the current mechanical radar Typhoons as well …
Speaking of the range, I suspect they don’t model scan loss for ESA radars in the game.
I don’t have anyone to test it with, so given that you guys hate Rafale, if you want to bother with testing and reporting it, it could result in reduced range for Rafale’s AESA radar in off boresight angles especially given that it has a fixed antenna …
Such this is not present in game. 99% it is game limitation, as radars in game are, well, quite simple from range standpoint. Be it this, or SPAA radar lacking altitude limitations.
Hi guys. long time no see.
I’d like to get some sources about inner pylon for AIM-120.
cause there is some guy who insist eurofighter cannot carry 8*AIM-120s.
To put it quite frankly: he’s probably right and you won’t have much luck trying to argue otherwise with the evidence that is currently available.
There is some evidence that the ability to carry AIM-120s on the inner pylons was considered at some point. But currently there is nothing to suggest it is any more real than this:
