The story
The Dassault Rafale is France's answer to everything — carrier ops, nuclear delivery, air superiority, ground attack.
The Rafale can hang up to nine tonnes of weapons and fuel tanks on 14 hardpoints, on a fighter that weighs about 10 tonnes empty.
Quick answers
How do you identify a Rafale?
Delta wing with close-coupled canards just behind the cockpit, two engines, and two intakes tucked under the wing roots, one each side. A Eurofighter Typhoon has a single chin intake under the nose instead.
What does a Rafale sound like?
Twin M88 engines — a distinct French fighter sound, slightly higher-pitched than American fighters.
How fast is the Rafale?
Top speed is Mach 1.8.
How far can the Rafale fly?
Range is about 2,000 nmi (ferry).
How big is the Rafale?
It is 50 ft 2 in long and 35 ft 9 in across the wings.
When did the Rafale first fly?
Its first flight was in 1986.
How many Rafales have been built?
340+ built.
How rare is a Rafale in Bogey?
UNCOMMON. Not rare, but not every day either. Worth looking up for. Your first Rafale catch is worth 50 points.
