Power Nations: Dassault Rafale

Role	Multirole fighter aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
First flight	4 July 1986
Introduction	18 May 2001
Status	In service
Primary users	French Air Force French Navy
Produced	1986–present
Number built	115 as of January 2013^{[citation needed]}
Program cost	€39.6 billion (January 2008)^[1]
Unit cost	Rafale C: €64 million, US$82.3 million (flyaway cost, 2008)^[1] Rafale M: €70 million, US$90.5 million (flyaway cost, 2008)^[1] Unit cost: €64 million, US$90.5 million (dependent on type/variant and can be as high as €90 million/US$124 million, 2009)

General characteristics

Crew: 1–2
Length: 15.27 m (50.1 ft)
Wingspan: 10.80 m (35.4 ft)
Height: 5.34 m (17.5 ft)
Wing area: 45.7 m² (492 ft²)
Empty weight:
- C: 9,500 kilograms (21,000 lb)
- B: 9,770 kilograms (21,500 lb)
- M: 10,196 kilograms (22,480 lb^[169])
Loaded weight: 14,016 kg (30,900 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,500 kg (C/D), 22,200 kg (M) (54,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Snecma M88-2 turbofans
- Dry thrust: 50.04 kN (11,250 lbf) each
- Thrust with afterburner: 75.62 kN (17,000 lbf) each
Fuel capacity: 4,700 kg (10,000 lb) internal

Performance

Maximum speed:
- High altitude: Mach 1.8+ (2,130+ km/h, 1,050+ knots)
- Low altitude: Mach 1.1+ (1,390 km/h, 750 knots)
Range: 3,700+ km (2,000+ nmi)
Combat radius: 1,852+ km (1,000+ nmi) on penetration mission
Service ceiling: 16,800 m (55,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 304.8+ m/s (60,000+ ft/min)
Wing loading: 306 kg/m² (62.8 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.988 (100% fuel, 2 EM A2A missile, 2 IR A2A missile) version M

Armament

Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GIAT 30/719B autocannon with 125 rounds
Hardpoints: 14 for Air Force versions (Rafale B/C), 13 for Navy version (Rafale M) with a capacity of 9,500 kg (21,000 lb) external fuel and ordnance and provisions to carry combinations of:
- Missiles:
  - MBDA MICA IR or EM or Magic II and
  - MBDA Meteor air-to-air mssiles in the future
- Air-to-ground:
  - MBDA Apache or
  - Storm Shadow-SCALP EG or
  - AASM-Hammer or
  - GBU-12 Paveway II or
  - AS-30L
- Air-to-surface:
  - AM 39-Exocet
- Deterrence:
  - ASMP-A nuclear missile
- Other:
  - Thales Damocles targeting pod
  - RECO NG (New Generation) reconnaissance pod
  - up to 5 drop tanks
  - The Rafale can also carry a buddy-buddy refuelling pod^[52]

Avionics