Landivisiau - Open Door/Airshow June 29th, 2008

[frank kramer]

Do you have some more informations about the upgrades? (how many will be updated, which version have the other aircrafts ...)

As far as I know, 35 out of the remaining 43 operational SEM's are to be upgraded to Standard 5, the last one to be redelivered to the Aeronavale in July 2009. Those that are not yet upgraded are Standard 4, with some that had an interim fit being designated Standard 4+.
In april 2008, all of 17F's SEMs were already upgraded. Normally, 11F and 17F have 14 SEMs each but due to the rework they each have 12 SEMs operational. Standard 5 upgrades include the integration of the Damocles-pod (laser targeting and FLIR imaging), new digital autopilot, new radios (V/UHF Saturn/Have Quick and UHF Have Quick), new armament options (Enhanced Paveway fitted to BLU111 or CBEMS250 bombs, four of which can be carried on double launchers) and new night-vision goggles for the pilots.

Furthermore on the S4: 5 aircraft had already been withdrawn from service in March 2008:
-ship "25" after reaching the end of its career of 6160 flying hours max.
-ships "48" and "59" that were retired in november 2006
-ships "28" and "47" that were retired in January 2008
The final SEM-4 is set to leave the service by mid-2011.

For the squadrons, present plans mean that 11F will start to lose pilots and aircraft once the Rafale F3 starts to arrive with 12F. From 2010 onwards, 12F will split in two with one part becoming 11F(Rafale). 17F will remain operational with 12 SEMS until 2015.

Source (amongst others): Air Fan 353 (April 2008)

[frank kramer]

14 has no badge, but *should* belong to the CEV.

Checked "14" while looking for info on the Standard 5 of the SEM: its precise operator is/was the Detachement SEM of the CEPA (Centre d'Expérimentations Pratiques de l'Aero[navale]), which is located at Istres.

And on the topic of the new colours of the SEM: explanation given at Landi was that these were adopted for forthcoming operations in Afghanistan. 7 Aircraft supposedly have this scheme at present, "8" and "24" obviously being 2 of them.

[spotter4life]

@Frank Kramer: Thanks a lot

[patrick dirksen]

I was told by a pilot of 11 F that four aircraft are in the grey c/s, 17, 24, 32 and 51. But he was not aware of 8 in the grey c/s, and said that this was probably a replacement aircraft for the ones in Afghanistan. So there could well be more....
I haven't seen SEM 25 reported here by the way; this was on display in the town of Brest near the Maritime Museum, probably for the Tour de France circus. Funny to read here that this one was WFU recently! That makes sense now.....

[raameagle]

17, 31 and 51 are all grey.

Regards

Mark

[Canberra TT.18]

Hi,

Mentioned already where the 3 and 7 in the boxes on the static.
In the second row of boxes, from the tower, on the flightline side where 4 Rafale's: the 2, 8, 9 and 10

On gate side (south siede) where 3: the 4 and the 20 from the Navy and one from the AdlA, I didn't see these so I don't have the number of the air force one.

Pieter

[The DJ]

The Adla Rafale was 307/7-IA.

Anyone know where the 6th Spanish hornet was parked on sunday? C15.39/15-26.

Regards,
DJ