Smarter by far ! Thales and the Rafale

Since the beginning of military aviation over a century back, lethality of combat aircraft has been adjudged on the basis of their maximum speed, agility and firepower. In the 21st century, it is not just muscle that matters but also flexibility of role and intelligence.

Changing operational requirements mean that combat aircraft must be capable of performing a wide range of different tasks, from reconnaissance to air defence and precision strikes. They must also be capable of conducting several different missions in the same sortie.

The Rafale ' omnirole' fighter is designed to meet these needs. Advanced avionics hold the key: from nose to tail, the aircraft is equipped with an array of sophisticated electronics systems and equipment. Among other things, these allow the pilot to gather and share highresolution imagery, target guided weapons with pinpoint accuracy and defend the aircraft from hostile actions. Thales also provides the electronics for some of the missiles equipped by the Rafale.

In tandem with this, the Rafale supports pilots with an unprecedented level of ' data fusion' combining information from all the different systems and sensors to build a comprehensive tactical picture to assist in decision making.

The Rafale’s on- board electronics systems, equipment and sensors are supplied by Thales and account for about 25 per cent of the plane’s value.

The following explains it all !

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Spectra is the first line of defence for the Rafale aircraft, identifying, locating and jamming electromagnetic, infrared and laser threats. Multi-spectral sensors and smart data fusion offer high-sensitivity detection. Spectra’s multiple threat capability, including missile approach warning and decoy dispenser, helps to ensure success in hostile environments.

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Thales’ Airborne REconnaissance Observation System –AREOS –provides rapid day/ night imagery intelligence ( IMINT) for reconnaissance and identification in any weather conditions. AREOS gathers high-definition imagery at long range and across a wide area, with information transmitted from air to ground via a high-capacity data link. .

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Thales’ third-generation laser designation pod, Damocles, provides weapons guidance and a full suite of sensors ors for navigation and air- to- air target identification. It provides day/night recognitioncognition of targets at medium range, as well as long-distance reconnaissance capability.ility. The pod’s infrared sensor is designed to o perform effectively in both warm and humid mid conditions. TALIOS –an updated version ion of Damocles –is an optronic multifunction nction pod that employs ys the latest generation ion of high-resolutionn sensors and high precision cision lineof-sight stabilisation, isation, allowing for deep strikes ikes with long-range missiles and bombs to air-to-air target identification and close air support. It includes NonTraditionalal Information, Surveillance and Reconnaissance issance (NTISR) capabilities and the Permanent manent Vision system provides wide-angle ngle vision and critical contextual information.mation.

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Secure state- of- the- art communication,in navigation and identification capabilities covering every operational need, including ECCM ( used to combat electronic countermeasures), IFF (identification friend or foe) and tactical data links.

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Thales’ powerful visualisation tools provide instant situational awareness for the pilot and support well-informed tactical decisions. The MMI solution includes a combined head-up/head level display, lateral displays and a helmet- mounted sight display.

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The ActiveAct tive Electronically EleElectronically Scanned Array (AESA) RBE2 antennantenna antenna is a multifunction radar systemsy ystem that provides coverage over long ranges.ra anges. AESA RBE2 is automatici and highlyhig ghly versatile, sorting and ranking tracked targets, and allowing the pilot to track multiple multiplem targets while scanning. It is the firstt operational European active radar antenna,antenna a, and provides air-to-air and air-tosurface capabilities. capabilities.c

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Thales’ FSO includes extensive IT capability with laser electro- optics for passive longrange target detection for air, sea and ground targets, designation and identification, all fully integrated into the aircraft. It allows the pilot to spot enemy aircraft without being detected and is immune to radar jamming because it operates in optical wavelengths.

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A powerful mission computer providing all-sensor data fusion and enabling multiple mission reconfigurations.