I think the French are guilty of overhyping marketing there with "Omni-role" designation for the Rafale and a few including our neighbors have bought into it.Just a cheap shot at the Rafale being called Omni role in its marketing material
Otherwise the US/English parlance of "multi-role" applies to all of their aircraft which are just as capable or even more capable than Rafale.
I saw an Indian gentleman mention that since the Rafale does everything that an MR aircraft does and is also capable of nuclear strike and carrier landings, it is omni-role. The reality is that most MR platforms of the day (including F-16s are capable of nuclear strike) and carrier landings require extra hardening of the aircraft which is not the case when the same aircraft is operating from ground bases so it is a stretch to say the Rafales in use by the French AF and the IAF are exactly the same as those in use with the French Navy.
As far as the ability to switch roles in-flight, that capability is a function of the computing and automation on board the aircraft and the current Typhoons, F-16s, F-15s, F/A-18s as well as J-10C, JF-17s among quite a few other aircraft are all capable of handling the same. As such, I would not put too much emphasis on this Omni vs. MR distinction. It is marketing at best.
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