Summary
This report requests a complete rebuild of the Dassault Rafale flight model and the MBDA MICA missile in War Thunder.
Both currently show major inaccuracies compared to official, publicly available data — particularly in engine thrust, aerodynamic performance, and missile range and guidance.
These issues make the aircraft underperform and fail to represent its real-world capabilities.
- Rafale Flight Model Problems
Observed In-Game
At the moment, the Rafale in War Thunder can only reach about Mach 1.10 at 500 meters altitude**, even in a clean configuration with minimal external stores.
The aircraft also struggles to accelerate above Mach 1.5 at high altitude and cannot sustain supercruise (supersonic flight without afterburner).
The climb rate and overall thrust-to-weight ratio are lower than expected, and the flight behavior feels sluggish for a delta-canard aircraft of this generation.
Real-World Data
According to Dassault Aviation and Safran, the Rafale is powered by two M88-2 engines, each producing 50 kN of dry thrust and 75 kN with afterburner (for a total of 150 kN).
With this power, the Rafale can reach approximately Mach 1.3 at sea level and Mach 1.8–1.9 at altitude, and it is capable of supercruise around Mach 1.2 without afterburner when lightly loaded.
Its structural limits are officially +9 g / –3.2 g.
These values have been confirmed in multiple technical documents and defense press sources, including Dassault, Safran, and Jane’s.
Public sources:
- Dassault Aviation — Rafale Technical Data Sheet (official manufacturer website).
- Safran Aero Engines — M88 engine information (75 kN thrust).
- Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft (2023–2024 editions).
Summary of Issue
In-game thrust appears to be around 15–20% too low, resulting in weak acceleration and speed performance.
At 500 meters, the Rafale should be capable of Mach 1.2–1.3, not Mach 1.1.
This underperformance breaks realism and affects gameplay balance at top-tier.
- MICA Missile Problems
Observed In-Game
The MICA currently has a maximum range of only about 10 kilometers, even under ideal launch conditions (high speed and altitude).
It also seems to have very limited guidance behavior, with no midcourse update or lofting profile.
The IR and RF versions behave almost identically and are both far less effective than comparable missiles (AIM-120 or R-77).
Real-World Data
According to MBDA (the missile manufacturer), the MICA EM (RF) and MICA IR are Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, with a nominal range between 50 and 80 km, depending on launch conditions (speed, altitude, and target aspect).
They feature an inertial midcourse phase with datalink updates and a terminal active seeker — either radar or infrared depending on the version.
The IR version uses an advanced imaging seeker that allows all-aspect engagement and high resistance to countermeasures.
Public sources:
- MBDA — MICA Missile Product Page (official).
- MBDA — MICA Technical Data Sheet (PDF).
- French Ministry of Armed Forces — Operational description of Rafale weapons systems.
Summary of Issue
The in-game MICA’s range of 10 km is only a fraction (about 1/6 to 1/8) of its real-world operational range.
The lack of midcourse guidance and realistic seeker modeling also removes the missile’s key tactical capabilities.
Both versions (IR and RF) should behave differently, with specific strengths and weaknesses versus countermeasures and ECM.
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Recommendations
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Rework the Rafale’s flight model and engine data to match official thrust (2×75 kN), correct acceleration and speed at all altitudes, and implement realistic supercruise capability.
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Review the structural model to respect +9 g / –3.2 g limits and realistic control authority.
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Rebuild the MICA missile model, implementing its real range (50–80 km depending on conditions), lofted trajectory, midcourse datalink phase, and distinct seeker behavior for IR and RF versions.
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Add developer notes or documentation referencing official public data (Dassault, MBDA, Safran) for transparency and educational value.
- Conclusion
The current Rafale and MICA implementation in War Thunder are significantly underperforming compared to official public data.
The aircraft cannot exceed Mach 1.10 at 500 meters and lacks realistic thrust and supercruise capability, while the MICA missile is limited to 10 km range despite being a true BVR weapon in reality.
A rebuild based on verified manufacturer specifications would restore realism, balance, and authenticity for the French top-tier lineup.