by Sayan Majumdar

Having significant strike potential, the Dassault Rafale (Squall) multi-role strike fighter is also a formidable air superiority fighter. An excellent weapons platform for multidimensional warfare, Rafale’s avionics and electronics are integrated via four Mil STD-1553B data buses and two Mil STD- 1760 data buses operating in the ADA language.

The Rafale’s highly sophisticated Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missiles (BVRAAM) will immeasurably enhance combat potential of the Indian Air Force over skies of the subcontinent. To decimate hostile airborne platforms, BVRAAM missiles load usually include six MBDA MICA RF/ IR for air defence oriented missions. The Missile d’Interception, de Combat et d’Autodéfense (MICA) BVRAAM forms the standard armament of the Dassault Rafale and also presently selected for upgraded package of IAF Mirage-2000I/ IH fighters. 3.1-metre long, 112-kg weight, the MICA was originally designed as a ‘multi-aircraft’ missile that could easily be integrated onto any modern fighter aircraft, without significantly reducing the aircraft speed or negatively affecting its aerodynamic characteristics. MICA is capable of both BVR (60km+) and close range interception thanks to its dual active radar (as in MICA RF) and Imaging Infra-Red (as in MICA IR) seeker and Lock On Before Launch (LOBL) as well as Lock On After Launch (LOAL) capability. Minimum range is said to in the region of 500 metres.

Carried under the aircraft’s fuselage or under wings, and fired by ejection or by rail, MICA is ‘permitted’ to be ejected from the airframe up to 4g while wings pylons can release MICA up to 9g. Products of research and development during the 1990s, both MICA RF and MICA IR have a range in excess of 60 km as the MICA IR version receives mid-course update commands from the radar to compare target location with the location of its seeker’s track for LOAL engagements. In the case of MICA RF, after the target has been designated by the host aircraft’s radar, this then makes first phase of its fight in inertial guidance mode, and then homes onto the target in flight in fire-and-forget mode, using its ‘4A’ active-radar homing head. The MICA is well reputed for its general level of sophistication and reliability in terms of ‘ kill percentage’ even in adverse European meteorological conditions in dense electronic warfare environment infested with saturation jamming as the missiles in turn sport a formidable Electronic Counter Counter Measures (ECCM) system to burn through hostile jamming. The seeker is cooled by an on-board closed-cycle system, which is electrically powered and can be operated for long periods. Complex algorithms have been developed to provide the IR seeker with an ability to track at longer range and to reject flare decoys. When fitted to aircraft with track- while- scan radars the MICA weapon system is capable of attacking several targets simultaneously with individual missiles.

Its excellent manoeuvrability is aided by combination of long chord wings, efficient tail control surfaces while at short range, thrust vector control (TVC)

facilitates high off-boresight angle (HOBA) engagements. Interestingly, seeker of the MICA IR may also be utilised for discrete optronics monitoring prior to launch. Again, the MICA IR with its angular resolution will be able to mount stealthy strikes on unsuspecting opponents especially if the launch platform gets well pre-positioned by friendly AEW&C platforms, the lethal 12 kg high-explosive blast fragmentation warhead being triggered by a Doppler radar proximity fuse. Surprise has always been the key to successful execution in air combat, with as much as 50-percent of shot down pilots totally unaware of the fact that they were under attack in the first place !

Meanwhile the French armament directorate ( DGA) has launched a development programme that will modernise the MICA BVRAAM and Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM), introducing a new generation of the weapon (MICA NG). Maintaining the size, weight and electronic interfaces of the present missile, MICA NG will be a most effective successor to the baseline MICA. With an improved seeker and new propulsion, it will have the agility and performance to cope with modern threats and countermeasures, which includes targets with reduced infrared and electromagnetic signatures, atypical targets ( Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and small aircraft), in addition to the threats normally countered by air-to-air missiles (combat aircraft and helicopters).

Maintaining the same MICA RF and MICA IR versions, among enhancements to the MICA NG are the addition of a new infrared seeker that uses a matrix sensor providing greater sensitivity. The radio frequency seeker will use an AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) antenna, giving smart detection abilities. The reduced volume of electronic components within MICA NG will allow it to carry a larger quantity of propellant, thereby significantly extending range of the missile.

Outer Air Battles

Rafale’s air combat capability will increase substantially with service entry of the European MBDA Meteor active- radar homing BVRAAM with its 80+ nautical miles range to provide an ultra- long range interception capability against fighter sized targets critical in attaining ‘ first look- first shoot- first kill’ ability alongside fulfilling the BVR role for ‘outer-air battles’, obligatory for IAF in response to proliferation of BVRAAMs in its neighbourhood including United States AIM-120C-5 variant of AMRAAM in Pakistan Air Force ( PAF) service. A 3.65 metre long, stealthy, low drag, lightweight ( 185 kg) BVRAAM design from MBDA, the 80+ nautical miles range Meteor with a more linear velocity profile is in demonstration phase. Born from the multi-national Project S225X examining the future BVRAAM technologies and designed for a network- centric warfare (NCW) environment, the Meteor has a data-link capability, guided not only by the launching aircraft but also by another fighter or even by AEW&C platforms. The extended range is ensured by Meteor’s solid Boron fuelled Variable-Flow Ducted Ramrocket (VFDR) propulsion system, also referred to as Throttle-able Ducted Rocket (TDR), along with a speed of more than Mach 4 and high terminal velocity. Thus even when launched from extreme stand-off ranges, the missile will retain the energy at the end game to defeat fast, manoeuvring targets. The control system consists of four small moving tail surfaces but at inherent high speed, sufficient to perform sharp manoeuvres. The engine’s two air intakes, positioned on the both sides of the lower part of missile’s body, are shaped to reduce the missile’s radar cross-section.

Meteor is capable of engaging a wide range of airborne targets autonomously, including cruise missiles with less than 1 metre square Radar Cross Section (RCS). For mid-course navigation guidance Meteor utilises Inertial Navigation System (INS) combined with update commands provided by the launch, or any friendly aircraft via the two way secure microwave data-link, to adequately offset Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) complexities or challenges at long ranges. During terminal phase the Kuband (NATO: X band) active-radar homing seeker (advanced version of the MICA RF ‘4A’) employs advanced proportional based navigation software. Also rumours persist that the system can operate passively in the K-band given the consortium previous research interests.

As the Meteor is designed for a NCW environment, it is compatible for the futuristic concept of “Cooperative Fighter Operations” or Mixed Fighter Force Concept (MFFC) that is essential for future BVR engagements and optimum performance and results. Conceptually, in IAF service, pairs of Rafale will be data-linked as one illuminates the other launches the missiles against the targets. In such engagements the ‘striker’ fighter will be able to impart the greatest kinetic energy to the Meteor BVRAAM by accelerating up to Mach 2 and then manoeuvring out of the engagement. The illuminator, with the powerful radar capable of performing like a mini Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) platform will remain subsonic, keeping a decent distance from the target, providing command- guidance updates alongside illuminating the target.

For ‘eyeball to eyeball’ confrontation, the Rafale is also equipped with a single 30 mm GIAT 791B cannon mounted on the right engine duct with a rate of fire of 2,500 rounds per minute and carrying 125 rounds of ammunition.

Sayan Majumdar is a defence journalist of repute who tracks military and aerospace issues closely