As #Indian Airforce gets its 1st of 36 Rafale jets delivered, Let us have a look at the specs of this amazing 4.5 generation aircraft.
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Rafale is a 4.5 generation fighter aircraft. A 4.5 generation fighter is basically a fourth-generation fighter that has been upgraded with AESA radar, high-capacity data-link, enhanced avionics, and the ability to deploy current and reasonably foreseeable advanced armaments.
The Rafale is 15.27 metre long and a wingspan of 10.80 metre. The empty weight of Rafale ranges from 9900 kg to 10600 kg depending on the variant and maximum take-off weight of 24500 kg.
The Rafale is available in both single and dual seating cabin (#India ordered 28 single and 8 dual seater Rafale)
The Rafale is powered by two SNECMA M88 engines which push the Rafale to attain a high speed of 1.8 Mach (1912 km/h) and a range of more than 3700 km with 3 drop tanks.
In terms of weapons, the Rafale can be equipped with air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and air-to-surface missiles along with Nuclear weapons.
The first squadron of the Rafale aircraft will be deployed at Ambala Air Force Station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF around 200 kilometres from the India-Pakistan border. The second squadron will be deployed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.
