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Mil Mi-35 attack helicopters [see photos on page 8, taken through the Damoclès pod of a Rafale on 26 March 2011]. All struck from a stand-of distance of 15 to 25 km using the 250 kg INS/GPS AASM baseline variant, especially developed for the Dassault Rafale at the turn of the century. A new weapon which has been designated “Hammer” by NATO. Sagem’s AASM is a novel family of smart, precision-guided weapons (PGM), based on diferent guidance and range augmentation kits (rocket engine)

adapted to conventional bomb bodies. It ofers a range exceeding 50 kilometres, and is capable of being fred of-axis, day or night and under all weather conditions. This new weapon —also selected by the Royal Moroccan Air Force for its modernized Mirage F1Ms— provides an aircraft with a real multi-target capability, and very high precision with a terminal trajectory suited to all types of targets. A new but yet combat proven PGM, the AASM is also used by the French Air Force and Navy Rafales

— 31 March 2011, two French Air Force Rafale pilots from squadron EC 1/7 “Provence” at Solenzara air base after returning from a 6-hour long mission on the Libyan theatre. 31 de março de 2011, dois pilotos de Rafale franceses, pertencentes ao esquadrão EC 1/7 “Provence”, aqui vistos na base aérea de Solenzara (BA 126) após retornarem de uma missão de 6 horas no teatro líbio. © Author

’ 31 March 2011, three Sagem 250-kg AASM precision guided munitions locked on the right wing Rafaut “tri-bombes” pylon of a Rafale B fighter-bomber; 750 kg in all on each wing. 31 de março de 2011, três bombas de precisão guiadas AASM de 250 kg carregadas no cabide Rafaut “tri-bomba” da asa esquerda de um caça-bombardeiro Rafale B; para o registro isso faz um total de 2 x 750 kg de carga. © Author

— 31 March 2011, Lt.General Patrick Chareix of the French AF explains how a pair of Rafales conducted earlier, unescorted, a successful strike against a Libyan SA-3 “Goa” SAM site. O Tenente-General Patrick Chareix da Força Aérea Francesa explica como um par de Rafales conduziu um bem sucedido ataque contra um sítio de mísseis SAM SA-3 “Goa” líbio. © Author

◊ Solenzara, 31 March 2011, French Col. Eric Bometon, deputy-commander of BA 126, describes the principal no-fly zones patrolled by AASM-armed Rafales in the Syrte area. 31 de março de 2011, o Coronel francês Eric Bometon descreve as principais zonas patrulhadas por Rafales armados com bombas guiadas AASM na região de Syrte. © Author

— 31 March 2011, Lt.Col. Michel, commanding officer of the French AF Rafale detachment in Solenzara. In 2010, he led the Rafale team which attended the Cruzex V international air exercise organised by the Força Aérea Brasileira. This was the first time Rafale fighters visited South America. 31 de março de 2011, Tenente-Coronel “Mitch” Michel, oficial comandante do destacamento de Rafales da Força Aérea Francesa na base aérea de Solenzara. Em 2010, ele liderou os pilotos franceses de Rafale no exercício brasileiro Cruzex V em Natal no Rio Grande do Norte. © Author