The Dassault Rafale B is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft. It is classed as an omnirole aircraft intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions.
 
The 'B' Variant is a 2 seater version the order of which will be completed by 2023.
 
Characteristics
Crew: 1 or 2
Length: 15.27 m (50 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 10.90 m (35 ft 9 in)
Height: 5.34 m (17 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 45.7 m2 (492 sq ft)
Empty weight: 10,300 kg (22,708 lb) (B)
9,850 kilograms (21,720 lb) (C)
10,600 kilograms (23,400 lb) (M)
Gross weight: 15,000 kg (33,069 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 24,500 kg (54,013 lb)
Fuel capacity: 4,700 kg (10,362 lb) internal for single-seater (C); 4,400 kg (9,700 lb) for two-seater (B)
Maximum fuel: (C): 16,550 l (4,370 US gal; 3,640 imp gal) (5,750 l (1,520 US gal; 1,260 imp gal) internal + 2,300 l (610 US gal; 510 imp gal) in 2x conformal tanks + 8,500 l (2,200 US gal; 1,900 imp gal) in 5 drop tanks)[citation needed]
Powerplant: 2 × Snecma M88-4e turbofans, 50.04 kN (11,250 lbf) thrust each [373] dry, 75 kN (17,000 lbf) with afterburner
 
Performance
Maximum speed: 1,912 km/h (1,188 mph, 1,032 kn) [374] / Mach 1.8[374] at high altitude
1,390 km/h, 860 mph, 750 kn / Mach 1.1 at low altitude
Supercruise: Mach 1.4[376]
Combat range: 1,850 km (1,150 mi, 1,000 nmi) on penetration mission with three tanks (5,700 L combined), two SCALP-EG and two MICA AAMs.
Ferry range: 3,700 km (2,300 mi, 2,000 nmi) with 3 drop tanks
Service ceiling: 15,835 m (51,952 ft)
g limits: +9 −3.6 (+11 in emergencies)
Rate of climb: 304.8 m/s (60,000 ft/min)
Wing loading: 328 kg/m2 (67 lb/sq ft)
Thrust/weight: 0.988 (100% fuel, 2 EM A2A missile, 2 IR A2A missile) version B
 
Armament
Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.2 in) GIAT 30/M791 autocannon with 125 rounds
Hardpoints: 14 External hardpoints for Air Force versions (Rafale B/C), 13 for Navy version (Rafale M) with a capacity of 9,500 kg (20,900 lb) external fuel and ordnance, with provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles:
Air-to-air:
MBDA MICA EM and IR (most widely used air-to-air missiles on Rafale; MICA-EM and MICA-IR both used for short-range and also for medium-range BVR combat)
MBDA Meteor
Magic II
Air-to-ground:
MBDA Apache
MBDA Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG
AASM-Hammer (SBU-38/54/64)
GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-16 Paveway II, GBU-22 Paveway III, GBU-24 Paveway III, GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II
AS-30L
Mark 82
Air-to-surface:
MBDA AM 39-Exocet air-launched anti-ship missile (one AM 39-Exocet at the central under-fuselage hardpoint)
Nuclear Deterrence:
ASMP-A nuclear missile
Other:
Thales Damocles targeting pod
Thales AREOS (Airborne Recce Observation System) reconnaissance pod
Thales TALIOS multi-function targeting pod
Up to 5 drop tanks
Buddy–buddy refueling pod
 
Avionics
Thales RBE2-AA AESA radar
Thales SPECTRA Electronic Warfare system.
Thales/SAGEM-OSF Optronique Secteur Frontal infra-red search and track (IRST) system
 
The kit consists of over 50 parts, one clear part for canopy and windscreen, as well as fuselage and wing parts.