RUAG to produce for Thales

The first deliveries are planned for the second half of 2011 and will initially be integrated into the Rafale for the French market, with export customers following at a later date. These will include the Swiss Air Force, should Switzerland choose the Rafale. RUAG and Thales collaborate in various aerospace, defence and security projects. The RBE2 radar (Radar à Balayage Electronique 2 plans) developed and produced by Thales has an antenna that performs active electronic scanning in two planes. This new technology gives the Rafale a decisive advantage in terms of radar operating efficiency and reliability. The highly complex wired back structures that will be supplied by RUAG link the individual radar modules together and connect the radar to the airframe. The series production order follows an initial order for developing the aforementioned structure in March 2008, which led to implementation and validation of three prototypes in September 2009.