Thursday March 4 2021
Rafale's MCO (Maintenance in Operational Condition): "it works well"
This falls in the middle of the export campaigns (and on the eve of the minarm's visit to the BA113/113th Air-Base), the minarm (French Defense Minister) told the press this morning how good it was with the results obtained by Dassault Aviation on vertical support for the Rafale, as part of RAVEL (RAfale VErticaLisé/verticalized).
This contract will consume 3.1 billion euros from 2019 to 2028. And for the minarm, it is responsible for the improvement observed in the fleet. 82 Rafale and Rafale Marine were available in February (82 / 143 = 57%) according to this source, against only 70 a year earlier (49%).
RAVEL is targeting 80% availability for the industrial level on the 102 Rafale Air (less soon 12 Rafale sold to Greece) and 41 Rafale Marine. The Greek contract would even lead to 83% availability, at a term that is not known. Obviously, we must understand this figure on the industrial level for which Dassault is responsible. With the vicissitudes sometimes encountered at the NSO (first of the three levels of maintenance), the figure is obviously lower. Even if, in operations, it can be much higher. Remember that 11 Rafale are permanently deployed in the Levant and the UAE, and 20 on Charles-de-Gaulle.
RAVEL does not yet concern the engine component, which is dealt with separately.
"We are satisfied but cautious, explains the minarm. On the Rafale, it works well, with manufacturers who have mobilized because they understand that the availability of an aircraft is a strong marker when we want to export it. Organization has been made more efficient over the years (thanks to) three-year efforts a more aggressive worksite on the subject. The challenge is to maintain ourselves, we will try to progress and verify that Dassault Aviation, over time, holds the performances to which he is committed ".
According to the minarm, the Rafale Air fleet flies 23,000 hours per year (23 000 / 102 = 225 h), and the Marine fleet, 9,000 (9 000 / 41 = 219).
In the same briefing, in response to a question from your servant, the minarm confirmed the information revealed here, on the forthcoming holding of an AAE (Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace) raid (4 Rafale + 1 A-330 MRTT + 1 A-400M) in Polynesia.