French Air Force Mothball Rafales

Steyr

Not sure of the original source, but reproduced by Coronet on MSF/Touchdown:

Quote
25-05-2008
The Marine place (already) nine Rafale "mothballed"
The information, révelée by our excellent colleagues Fan Air and Air et Cosmos, may seem staggering. The air comes into effect of placing nine of its aircraft Rafale "mothballed", as we confirmed the General Staff of the Navy. That is to say they are de facto removed from service.

These aircraft, very modern and very expensive, have been seen only in the early 2000s and 12 F fleet is operational on this device for less than four years on June 25, 2004 exactly. Place a plane "mothballed" is very clearly indicate that has not really need at this time. Funny message, while the staffs are concerned about the coming cuts in weapons programmes ...

Sailors have a good reason to do so. The nine Rafale in question are the first machines in the series, the standard F1, with which Air has suffered plaster. The aircraft delivered more recently are themselves the standard F2. From the outside, the aircraft is virtually identical, but "the system architectures are radically different," explains one specialist. The F1 has capacity air-air, while the F2 has far superior capabilities, particularly for ground attacks. A standard F3, even more complete, is expected from 2009.

The pilot and maintenance of F1 and F2 are different. However, good management of a fleet of a dozen aircraft passes through the presence of a single model line. Hence the decision to store "for a long time" to Landivisiau (Finistère), the Rafale F1 in hangarettes equipped with assecheurs air. These aircraft should thereafter be modernized and brought directly to standard F3.

The flotilla 12 F, only unit equipped with the Navy Rafale, aligns today twelve (including one for testing at Mont-de-Marsan) and will be sixteen in the summer, not counting the nine stored.



Not good if they are mothballing their own aircraft, a prospective buyer will be put of for sure and i think they were struggling to find buyers for the Rafale with countries prefering the cheaper and less complex competitors.

Tenger

Steyr wrote: »

Not good if they are mothballing their own aircraft, a prospective buyer will be put of for sure and i think they were struggling to find buyers for the Rafale with countries prefering the cheaper and less complex competitors.

It reads like a translation which may have given it a slightly off spin. The article posted above does say they are being put it to hangers for later upgrading to F3 standard. MAybe they are too busy producing actual factory fresh F3 Rafales.

I know the US have the vast desert mothball facility. What do other countries do with their out of service a/c?

Victor

I think the F-1 was an interim so that they could retire the 1960s(?) vintage F-8 and was operating alongside other aircraft including the Etendard IVP/M and Super Etendard. If the Navy (not Air Force) have enough more capable models, then mothballing makes sense.

Mothballing is common enough in bigger fleets as you can then adjust the number of mothballed aircraft to deal will aircraft losses and so you can rotate airframes to average out flying hours.

Captain Chaos

The Navy recieved the first F1 standard because of the need to retire the F-8 quickly. The F1 has just air to air mode and abilities but no air to ground software. Now that the Navy have enough F2 standard which has air to ground ability which is more useful in the current combat zones like Afganistan and Chad they will place the F1 Raffys in storage and bring them to F3 standard later. F2 Rafales have dropped PGMs in support of ground forces a few times in the past year in Afganistan.

F3 production has not started yet for the French air force or Navy, the F2s are still being delivered.

Steyr

Bramble wrote: »

I know the US have the vast desert mothball facility. What do other countries do with their out of service a/c?

The RAF have stored Tornado F3's ( ADV Variant ) at RAF St Athan and The Jags are still stored too in flying condition.