Original title: Pilot report: Gust VS. Typhoon, which European double wind is stronger?
originally carried hushkit.net
about the two European medium-sized fighters-"Typhoon" and "Rafale" which is stronger? This issue has always been the focus of attention. After France withdrew from the future Eurofighter program in the early 1980s, it spent a lot of time, money and energy to develop a Rafale fighter similar to the Typhoon in terms of aerodynamic layout. The relatively subtle differences between the two aircraft caused many heated debates. , But most of them have the taste of subjective guesswork.
So, who is the more powerful duck delta fighter, Rafale or Typhoon?
"Typhoon" and "Rafale" fighter jet formation flying
design concept
"Rafale" and "Typhoon" have a common project root, so the overall design and aerodynamic concepts are very similar. The biggest difference between the two is the wing airfoil optimization and torsion design, as well as the canard coupling. "Gust" adopts a close-coupled canard design. The canard is closer to the main wing. The flow field of the canard and the flow field of the main wing produce favorable interference coupling, which increases the lift-to-drag ratio and lift coefficient, and increases the stall angle of attack. "Typhoon" uses a non-coupled canard design. The canards are far away from the lift center, which can generate greater pitch control torque and achieve greater control authority, but it cannot improve the high angle of attack performance of the wing.
In essence, the aerodynamic design of "Typhoon" is optimized for tasks with supersonic speed and relatively light load (such as air superiority) to maximize maneuverability. In contrast, the canard and wing design of the Rafale focuses on maximizing lift and achieving increased mounting capacity within a wide range of speed and angle of attack.
The positions between the canard and the main wing of the two fighters are completely different. The
radar
fighter radar is a sensitive and highly restricted topic in public discussions, but generally speaking, the "catcher" currently equipped with "Typhoon" -M (CAPTOR- M) The radar is considered to be one of the most advanced fighter mechanical scanning radars in service in the world. Although the radar does not have the ability to detect low probability of interception and operate in air-to-air and air-to-ground modes at the same time as the RBE2-AA active phased array radar of the "Rafale" F3R batch, but in air-to-air missions, "Catcher"-M is In the case of dealing with a small number of conventional threats, with its excellent detection range and resolution, it may even be more advantageous than RBE2-AA. However, when facing multiple targets at different distances/altitudes and scanning the ground, "gust" currently leads the radar.
RBE2-AA active phased array radar
Of course, if the long-delayed "Catcher"-E active phased array radar can be integrated into the "Typhoon" in the near future, because the radar has a larger aperture, it can be integrated More transceiver modules, so "typhoon" will surpass "gust" on the radar. "Catcher"-E's rotating antenna design also has a larger scanning angle, which will enable the "Typhoon" to give full play to its long-range air combat capabilities, relying on the large-angle scanning capability to continuously update the air-to-air missile guidance while maintaining the distance between the target.
"Catcher"-E active phased array radar, antenna array rotatable
infrared search and tracking sensor
"Typhoon" "pirate" (PIRATE) infrared search and tracking sensor (IRST) is undoubtedly the best fighter aircraft in the world One of the passive photoelectric sensors. In the first 10 years of the aircraft's service, due to the amazing sensitivity of the "pirate" system, a large number of false detection results appeared. Now that the processing capabilities of the system have kept up, this sensitivity can be used to detect large and small targets of fighters, including stealth aircraft, at long distances. This has become a major advantage of the "Typhoon" in air superiority missions. However, "Rafale" is still better in the fusion of radar and IRST sensor data. This fusion is the focus of the "Typhoon" P3E software upgrade.
"Typhoon" nose "pirate" infrared search and tracking sensor
cockpit man-machine interface
The two aircraft are quite close in this respect, and are constantly upgrading cockpit functions to reduce pilot workload. For novices, there is no difficulty in changing the two types of aircraft, and worry-free operation means that both aircraft are very easy to fly, so that the pilots can devote all their energy to the combat effectiveness of the aircraft.
"Rafale" fighter cockpit
"Typhoon" fighter cockpit
cost and reliability
"Rafale" and "Typhoon" are dual-engine air superiority fighters with a wide range of multi-purpose capabilities, so the maintenance and flight costs of both are quite expensive. Everyone knows that due to differences in infrastructure, measurement standards, operating environment and other factors, it is difficult to quantitatively compare the operating costs of the two fighters, but it is certain that the "Rafale" M carrier-based type needs more Maintenance, withstand greater fatigue and salt water corrosion, so operating costs will be more expensive than "gust" shore-based type and "typhoon". In addition, the "Typhoon" EJ200 turbofan engine is one of the most reliable military jet engines, and its low maintenance, replacement and repair requirements help reduce the maintenance cost of the aircraft. The
EJ200 engine adds a lot to the “typhoon”.
Low observability
Although the two aircraft are not stealth aircraft, they have adopted some designs that can reduce the radar cross-sectional area (RCS). "Typhoon" makes more use of radar absorbing materials (RAM) and active canard management (limiting canard deflection) to reduce head-on RCS, but this may not be as good as "Rafale"'s excellent SPECTRA electronic warfare system.
"Rafale"'s SPECTRA electronic warfare system
performance
"Typhoon" is faster and has a higher thrust-to-weight ratio, so it has better acceleration performance at all altitudes, which also makes "Typhoon" in a horizontal struggle It can retain and restore energy better than "gust". "Typhoon" also has a larger practical ceiling of more than 18,300 meters, allowing the aircraft to fly at high altitude and high speed like the F-22 "Raptor" in air superiority missions. This is also the design advantage of the aircraft. The
"Rafale" has a significantly better carrying capacity, and its low-altitude and low-speed maneuverability is better than that of the "Typhoon". However, when both aircraft are under heavy load, the performance difference between them is very small. In terms of horizontal maneuverability, the "gust" has a better instantaneous turning rate and can change the direction of the turn faster, but the "typhoon" can pull out a higher and longer overload without losing speed.
"Gust" M
for air-to-ground missions. Although the lower lip of the "Typhoon" can be opened to increase the air intake at low speeds and high angles of attack, the high angle of attack performance of the two aircraft is similar and both are affected The location of the port and the lack of thrust vector limitations. With three auxiliary fuel tanks in the transition mode, the range of the two aircraft is almost the same, both being 3700 kilometers. But as far as ground strike missions are concerned, the "Rafale" has a larger payload and can mount larger underwing fuel tanks outside of the prescribed weapons. However, due to the popularity of aerial refueling, this range advantage is irrelevant.
"Typhoon" is more suitable for over-the-horizon air combat.
Snecma's M88 turbofan engine may be the biggest weakness of "Rafale". This kind of engine has insufficient thrust and has low development potential in boosting. . The M88 is even one of the main reasons for France's departure from the Eurofighter program. Despite the lack of thrust of the engine, the French still insist on the future Eurofighter to be equipped with it. According to Eurojet, which manufactures the EJ200 engine, the EJ200 is not only very reliable, but also has a very significant boost potential (which can easily be increased by 20-30%). However, existing customers are satisfied with the EJ200, and there is no need to upgrade the engine.
M88 has become the weak underbelly of "Rafale"
weapons
In terms of air-to-air weapons, "Rafale" mainly relies on MICA, which is completely weak at a range of 20 kilometers, which seriously damages the aircraft's beyond visual range air combat capability. Since MICA is essentially a short-range missile, before the "Meteor" long-range air-to-air missile was put into service, the Rafale always lacked true over-the-horizon air combat capability and could not match the "Typhoon" full of AIM-120C missiles. . Even the AIM-132 ASRAAM used by the British Air Force "Typhoon" as a near infrared guided missile has greater kinetic energy and maneuverability than MICA at a range of 20 kilometers. The
MICA modular air-to-air missile
MICA is fast at close range, has good maneuverability, and has the function of locking after launch, but the maneuverability of the missile is stillInferior to the IRIS-T fighting ammunition equipped by the Typhoon in Germany, Italy and Spain, it does not have the speed and powerful warhead of the British Typhoon ASRAAM at medium range.
Although the "Meteor" finally filled up the "Rafale"'s shortcomings in over-the-horizon air combat firepower, the projectile can only passively receive the target data update of "Rafale" through a one-way data link after launching, instead of "Typhoon" and " The two-way data link of Gripen. It is necessary to know that when active radar-guided air-to-air missiles have not yet entered terminal guidance, the two-way data link can provide more accurate and reliable target indications.
The Rafale
mounted with the Meteor air-to-air missile, look at the cannons. The cannons of the two aircraft have heavy projectiles and a good rate of fire. The "Rafale" GIAT 30/M791 30mm cannon fires a superior projectile weight per second, but the effective range is lower than the "Typhoon" Mauser BK27 27mm cannon.
"Hammer" AASM guided bomb
"Rafale" has a complete legal air-to-ground arsenal, even including nuclear weapons. The aircraft's "Hammer" AASM guided bomb has been proven to be efficient and accurate in actual combat, and is equipped with an extended range kit , But expensive compared with other guided bombs. "Typhoon" was only equipped with "Paving" IV laser and GPS guided bombs in the second and third phases of the P1Eb upgrade. In 2016 and 2018, they received the "Brimstone Rock" air-to-surface missile and the "Storm Shadow" cruise missile respectively, which have since been equivalent to the "Rafale" in conventional strike missions.
mounts "Sulphur Stone" and "Paving" IV "Typhoon"
sensor fusion
"Rafa" sensor fusion technology is currently further than "Typhoon", but the latter will be able to make up for this gap in the P3E upgrade. But it should be remembered that both fighters use post-sensor fusion technology. The sensors are not cross-linked, and their output data is analyzed and processed by the information management system and presented to the pilot. On a new-generation fighter such as the F-35, different sensors are cross-linked to form an organic whole. All data will be analyzed, compared, and filtered to automatically present the best results to the pilot.
"Rafa" nose photoelectric and infrared sensors
self-defense system
The self-defense systems of both aircraft have passive (tracking and intelligence collection) and active (jamming and other electronic warfare) capabilities. In terms of passive capabilities, "Typhoon" has an advantage after the DASS upgrade led by the United Kingdom, but in terms of active jamming and electronic warfare capabilities, the "Rafale" SPECTRA system has proven itself in actual combat in Libya and many NATO exercises. , Can protect the aircraft against high-end threats, and this usually requires a complex suppressed fleet or stealth aircraft to combat. The French have long performed well in electronic warfare and interference, and the "typhoon" in this regard still has a way to go.
Conclusion The
Rafale and Typhoon are excellent twin-engine medium-sized fighters, and the European defense community should be proud of this. The Rafale currently has advantages in ground attack, radar modernization, and large overload maneuvers. Similarly, due to excellent high-altitude performance, thrust-to-weight ratio, and long-range weapons, "Typhoon" is in an advantageous position in terms of air superiority. The advantages of
"Rafale" are more related to the efficient project management and upgrades of Dassault and the French government, unlike the Eurofighter consortium that is inefficient due to mutual arguing. As far as the aircraft itself is concerned, "Typhoon" has greater radar aperture, power generation capacity, engine thrust and boost potential. If it can continue to produce for a long enough time, its development potential will be greater than "Rafale".
If an air force can equip these two fighters at the same time, although it is expensive, with the amazing complementary capabilities of the two aircraft, the combat effectiveness will be stronger than that of an air force equipped with only one aircraft.
