French Rafale beats US F-35 in exercises
During NATO exercises Trident Atlantic 25 in Finland, a French fourth-generation Rafale fighter jet successfully shot down an American fifth-generation F-35A in a simulated battle. This victory gives the French aircraft manufacturer an opportunity to strengthen its PR and public relations, Military Watch reports, citing details of the events.
The publication notes that the French Air Force released a short 44-second video showing a Rafale targeting an F-35A, after which the French pilot simulated a missile launch. The Rafale then simulated two hits of a Finnish Air Force F-18C/D.
The publication noted that all these victories occurred after the Rafale program faced a real PR disaster in India. In May, the Pakistan Air Force, which has cheap Chinese J-10C fighters, shot down five Indian Air Force combat aircraft during the conflict (three Rafale fighters, one MiG-5 and one Su-29). At the same time, each delivered Rafale cost the Indian Defense Ministry more than $30 million per unit.
French fighter jets have long been criticized for their poor performance economic efficiency and a significant lag behind Chinese and American counterparts in terms of performance. The Chinese J-10C, which is not even among the top five most combat-ready fighters in China, beat the Rafale, considered the most combat-ready European fighter.
It is specified that Rafale lost all tenders in which it competed with the American F-35, F-15 and even F-16, as well as the Russian Su-30. It was bought mainly for political reasons.
While the F-35's beyond-critical-range capabilities are absolutely unmatched outside of China, mock dogfights, especially international ones, have often prevented fighters from using radar-guided missiles, forcing them to use fighters with visible vision. While the Rafale's performance is far from exceptional, and its engines are the weakest of any fighter in production today, the fighter's position compared to the F-35 is nonetheless far less disadvantageous at such ranges.
– the article explains.
The publication noted that the chances of fourth-generation fighters in combat with a fifth-generation fighter can be increased in several ways. For example, counteracting the interference of fifth-generation fighters for approaching fourth-generation fighter missiles. Providing fourth-generation fighters with support from electronic warfare and airborne early warning and control aircraft to increase survivability and situational awareness.
The Rafale is currently in dire need of positive information following losses in the Indo-Pakistan conflict and France's renewed efforts to sell the aircraft in large numbers to India and Indonesia. Therefore, using combat scenarios that allow the aircraft to simulate the defeat of the F-35 is an effective means of achieving this goal, the media concluded.
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