Rafale vs. F-16 ۔ The real comparison is between the capabilities of the Pakistan air force and Indian air force

[Windjammer]

It is a great shame that India itself is buying arms from all over the world and objecting to others as to why you are selling arms to Pakistan. There is no shame in cunning and double face Indians.

Lack of confidence in ones own abilities, as some one pointed out, Indians can buy Rafales, Raptors, F-35s but they can't hire foreign pilots to fly and fight in them.

 

[Xone]

The jockey is more important than a horse in the race, similarly, the pilot is more important than the fighter plane in the war.
Pakistan is extensively using AWACS and other Force multiplier assets along with our F-16. Our Radar network fully covers India, the plane taking to the air is immediately covered and uncovered and is within range of our war assets.
JF-17 or F-16 can easily confront Indian Rafale and it brings no difference to us.
Even our super Mushaq can down the mighty invincible Rafale with the netcentric warfare capabilities. so all the comparing become meaningless in such a scenario.

 

[UKBengali]

Once upon a time, Modified Indians use to live by belief that SU-30 is an overkill and MiG-29s are more than sufficient to take care of the PAF.....and guess what, when the test came, there were no MiG-29s to be seen anywhere....SU-30s and Mirage-2000s were bugging out with unrealistic excuses. ...claiming of short fuel and radar issues.

Are you aware that the Rafale's original PESA can jam the Eurofighter mechanical radar that is better than the one of the F-16C that PAF has?
Rafale AESA just takes this radar tech a notch higher.

Forget Russian junk fighters as France is far more technologically advanced.

 

[Windjammer]

Are you aware that the Rafale's original PESA can jam the Eurofighter mechanical radar that is better than the one of the F-16C that PAF has?
Rafale AESA just takes this radar tech a notch higher.

Forget Russian junk fighters as France is far more technologically advanced.

Then i wonder why some countries after getting their Rafales have opted to go for the EFT and even SU-35s instead of more Rafales.

 

[UKBengali]

Then i wonder why some countries after getting their Rafales have opted to go for the EFT and even SU-35s instead of more Rafales.

Rafale and Eurofighter are the premier 4+ gen fighters.

Rafale is better at air to ground and Eurofighter has the edge at air to air.

UK RAF got a rude shock when they exercised their Eurofighter with Rafales and if they respect Rafale others should too.


Qatar wants to buy fighters from everyone and Egypt is kind of similar as well. It is geopolitics and not a capability thing.

PAF will soon get JF-17 Block 3 which will deliver similar performance to Rafale and so Pakistan has little to worry about over the medium-long term.

 

[dbc]

I am sorry but Rafale + AWACS + Meteor >> F-16C + Mechanical scanned radar + AIM-120C7.

What would most likely happen is that the Rafale's radar and electronic warfare system will jam the F-16Cs radar and then the F-16Cs will be shot down in droves using long-range Meteor shots.

Even 36 Rafales will tip the balance heavily to IAF as long as they are used effectively and there is little indication that the Indians cannot do that.

PAF desperate needs the JF-17 Block 3 to come into service.

Let me correct your post Rafale + AWACS + Meteor = Delicious tea

Jokes aside, the Rafale does not carry an offensive jammer, spectra is a defensive jammer. Spectra can deny lock at best but the AMRAAM has a home on jam mode. The AIM-120's have been tested against maneuvering fighter jets such as the QF-16's and the QF-4 Phantoms. Has the Meteor ever been tested against an agile fighter equipped with a modern self protection suite? PAF F-16's are known to be equipped with self protection jammers as well - so the outcome of long range Meteor engagement isn't a foregone conclusion,

SPECTRA | Air Dominance, COUNTERMEASURES | MBDA

SPECTRA has been developed by MBDA to provide an integrated self-protection system for the new Rafale combat aircraft now in service.

www.mbda-systems.com

SPECTRA (Self-Protection Equipment to Counter Threats for RAFALE Aircraft) has been jointly developed by MBDA and Thales to provide an integrated self-protection system for the new Rafale combat aircraft now in service with the French Air Force and Navy.

The SPECTRA integrated electronic warfare suite provides long-range detection, identification and accurate localisation of infrared, electromagnetic and laser threats. The system incorporates, radar warning, laser warning and missile warning receivers for threat detection plus a phased array radar jammer and a decoy dispenser for threat countering.

It also includes a dedicated management unit for data fusion and reaction decision.

 

[UKBengali]

Let me correct your post Rafale + AWACS + Meteor = Delicious tea

Jokes aside, the Rafale does not carry an offensive jammer, spectra is a defensive jammer. Spectra can deny lock at best but the AMRAAM has a home on jam mode. The AIM-120's have been tested against maneuvering fighter jets such as the QF-16's and the QF-4 Phantoms. Has the Meteor ever been tested against an agile fighter equipped with a modern self protection suite? PAF F-16's are known to be equipped with self protection jammers as well - so the outcome of long range Meteor engagement isn't a foregone conclusion,

Of course as you know more than me.

One thing, in an exercise between the PESA radar Rafale and the mechanical radar of the Eurofighter, the Eurofighter radar was jammed.
RAF got a rude shock at French jamming technology in that exercise!

 

[LeGenD]

But that was an under assumption. Mig 21 proved sufficient for F 16

Refer to the following thread: https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/no-evidence-of-the-loss-of-an-f-16.618802/

Please step out from that bubble reality of yours.

 

[aamirzs]

Why no one is buying Rafale except India and Egypt!
Did Indian think they can outsmart us! crazy thinking.

 

[Readerdefence]

Rafale and Eurofighter are the premier 4+ gen fighters.

Rafale is better at air to ground and Eurofighter has the edge at air to air.

UK RAF got a rude shock when they exercised their Eurofighter with Rafales and if they respect Rafale others should too.


Qatar wants to buy fighters from everyone and Egypt is kind of similar as well. It is geopolitics and not a capability thing.

PAF will soon get JF-17 Block 3 which will deliver similar performance to Rafale and so Pakistan has little to worry about over the medium-long term.

Hi my friend just beg to differ on one point between eurofighter vs Rafale as per your own knowledge it’s PESA vs AESA so I believe you have some sound knowledge against these two radars so no point of comparing these two at the moment let uk have AESA in typhoon then it’s the better scenario for comparison
I believe so if you have any more info about other angels to compare then it’s another ball game
thank you

 

[UKBengali]

Hi my friend just beg to differ on one point between eurofighter vs Rafale as per your own knowledge it’s PESA vs AESA so I believe you have some sound knowledge against these two radars so no point of comparing these two at the moment let uk have AESA in typhoon then it’s the better scenario for comparison
I believe so if you have any more info about other angels to compare then it’s another ball game
thank you

I think you have missed the point.

Rafale AESA > Rafale PESA > Eurofighter Mechanically scanned radar > F-16C Mechanically scanned radar

The Eurofighter Mechanically scanned radar is the best of it's type in the world.

Just see what the difference in capability is between the Rafale AESA of IAF and the Mechanically scanned radar of PAF.

PAF has absolutely nothing that can face IAF's Rafales right now. I am not even bringing in the Meteor BVRAAM here which gives the Rafale an even greater advantage.
Although, like I have said, the upcoming JF-17 Block 3 with AESA radar and PL-15 BVRAAM should be somewhat comparable to Rafale.

 

[GriffinsRule]

I think you have missed the point.

Rafale AESA > Rafale PESA > Eurofighter Mechanically scanned radar > F-16C Mechanically scanned radar

The Eurofighter Mechanically scanned radar is the best of it's type in the world.

Just see what the difference in capability is between the Rafale AESA of IAF and the Mechanically scanned radar of PAF.

PAF has absolutely nothing that can face IAF's Rafales right now. I am not even bringing in the Meteor BVRAAM here which gives the Rafale an even greater advantage.
Although, like I have said, the upcoming JF-17 Block 3 with AESA radar and PL-15 BVRAAM should be somewhat comparable to Rafale.

Glad PAF has a large AWACS fleet then isn't it as well as cooperative targeting? And its not like there will be a western movie style one on one faceoff between an F-16 and a Rafale.

 

[UKBengali]

Glad PAF has a large AWACS fleet then isn't it as well as cooperative targeting? And its not like there will be a western movie style one on one faceoff between an F-16 and a Rafale.

Meteor "No Escape Zone" is 3 times that of the AIM-120C7.

PAF has absolutely nothing that can stand up to Rafale.

PAF would be decimated by IAF Rafales within a few weeks of air combat. You need JF-17 Block 3 as quick as possible.

 

[GriffinsRule]

Meteor "No Escape Zone" is 3 times that of the AIM-120C7.

PAF has absolutely nothing that can stand up to Rafale.

PAF would be decimated by IAF Rafales within a few weeks of air combat. You need JF-17 Block 3 as quick as possible.

Yes 30 odd Rafales will decimate all of PAF surely. Indians should rest easy then and perhaps BAF should buy some Rafales as well. 6 should do given the threat they face right? Can retire the rest of their obsolete fleet

 

[Signalian]

I am sorry but Rafale + AWACS + Meteor >> F-16C + Mechanical scanned radar + AIM-120C7.

What would most likely happen is that the Rafale's radar and electronic warfare system will jam the F-16Cs radar and then the F-16Cs will be shot down in droves using long-range Meteor shots.

Childish video game psyche.
How conveniently are the different kinds of F-16 EW pods in PAF service set aside along with four decades of platform experience and progressive innovation of tactics in Top Gun school while the whole air combat becomes dependent on the radar's verdict.

It can be detected but F16 which Pakistan has No AESA. They are very old planes. They have big RCS, not very contemporary Radar and BVR which is much inferior to METEOR and MICA. F 16 has no chance.

Another one summing up air combat based on radar. As for old planes, the MLU upgrades including structural strengthening brings capabilities to Block 50 standard.

Glad PAF has a large AWACS fleet then isn't it as well as cooperative targeting? And its not like there will be a western movie style one on one faceoff between an F-16 and a Rafale.

All that talk about radars.
Erieye vectoring Gripens to fire AIM120s using updates from Erieye. Its not revealed if PAF uses the same technique with combo of Erieye, F-16 and Aim120s however it is possible. Gripens didn't even use own radars whether AESA or PD.