The French Air and Space Force wants a version of the Rafale dedicated to electronic attack and suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD).
Specialized journalist Gareth Jennings, present at the International Fighter Conference (IFC) taking place in Berlin, reported via his social networks the future development of a new version of the French Dassault Rafale fighter, which will have as its mission the degradation and suppression of enemy air defense capabilities.
As a result of lessons learned from #Ukraine, French Air Force to give Rafale a SEAD/DEAD capability by 2030. Other lessons inc size of aircraft fleets matter, which means diversity of types (Rafales, RCs, low cost drones) – Col Souberbielle, #InternationalFighter pic.twitter.com/Ruwrqdb9fF
— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) November 17, 2022
Until now, the French Air Force authorities had dismissed the need for a SEAD/DEAD Rafale, since the stealth characteristics of the French fighter, coupled with the good performance of its SPECTRA electronic warfare system and the use of HAMMER stand-off guided munitions, had proved effective against the air defense systems they had faced.
But the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine show that, in order to face a technologically competent enemy deploying a modern organic air defense, it is indispensable to have this type of specialized resources.
In Europe, this function was covered by German and Italian Tornado ECRs. To replace them, Germany has commissioned the development of the Eurofighter ECR, which will have several specific modifications.
See also: Confirmed! F-35 and Eurofighter ECR to replace Lufwaffe´s Tornado
The configuration shown by Airbus is that of a two-seat aircraft carrying two new-generation electronic jamming pods, two wingtip emissions locator stations, six of the new Spear-EW electronic attack missiles, Meteor and Iris-T air-to-air missiles and three 1,000-liter external fuel tanks.
The centerpiece of the ECR version will be the powerful electronic warfare pod being developed by the German firm HENSOLDT. It will be equipped with the most advanced technological elements (such as AESA GaN solid state transmitters) that will allow the localization, classification and disruption of any radar emitter, from safe distances.
France has never had this capability in its Air Force ranks, relying on NATO allied assets, such as the American Grumman EA-6B Prowler, or the aforementioned Tornado ECR. It will have to develop its own capabilities from scratch.
Or maybe not, if it decides to join the development of the HENDSOLDT electronic warfare pod, in a new Franco-German collaboration. And it could also count on the SPEAR-EW munitions designed by MBDA for this type of missions.
The 2030s are still a distant date and there is still a long way to go to see what modifications will be applied to the two-seat RAFALE B version, but they will certainly follow the configuration of the EA-18G Growler and the Eurofighter ECR.
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