A key advantage of the Rafale compared to the other French and foreign fighters is its very long range. «French Air Force Rafales initially flew with two 2,000-litre external fuel tanks under the wings on top of their MICA air-to-air missiles and of their air-to-surface ordnance, reveals the Armée de l’Air Rafale detachment commander. When the availability of tankers became an issue, a third 2,000-litre drop tank was added to the Rafale based in Solenzara, thus helping minimise the pressure on the Allied tanker force.» The Rafale then carried 6,000 litres of external fuel on top of the 4,700 kg of internal fuel for the single-seat Rafale C, and 4,400 kg for the two-seat Rafale B, giving an outstanding range and an extended time on station. Endurance was a crucial parameter for Rafales operating from the Charles de Gaulle too: «we typically flew missions lasting over two hours without tanker support, stresses the Commanding Officer of French Navy Flottille 12F. With tanker support, either from a Rafale configured for buddy-buddy tanking, a C-135FR, a KC-135R or from any other coalition tanker, we flew 4-hour long sorties with two refuellings. Our ‘playtime’ was excellent, with relatively short transits to and from Libya. In fact, out of 4 hours airborne, we remained 2 h 20 min on station, ready to strike any target of opportunity.» Usually, two of the ten Rafales onboard the carrier were configured as buddy-buddy tankers, each with an in-flight refuelling pod under the centreline pylon and two to four drop tanks under the wings. One of them was systematically launched prior to any recovery cycle, ready to give away fuel to any fighter which might have encountered difficulties when attempting to trap back onboard the carrier. Another one was ready to be catapulted away, should the situation have got worse.
