Rafale Marine Comparison with Chinese Carrier-borne J-15 Fighter

Engines

The Rafale is fitted with two Snecma M88 engines, each capable of providing up to 50kN of dry thrust and 75kN with afterburners. The engines feature several advances, including technology to reduce radar and infrared signatures. The M88 enables the Rafale to supercruise while carrying four missiles and one drop tank.

The J-15 was powered by Russia-made Saturn AL-31 afterburning turbofans providing 122.6kN thrust with afterburner. In November 2022, the fighter appeared fitted with domestically produced WS-10 engines that provides 89.17kN thrust each dry and 135–144kN with afterburner.

Radar and Sensors

Both J-15B/D and the F3R-standard Rafale-M are equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars as their primary sensor.

The J-15 adopts the J-11B’s avionics suite modified with multirole capability, including the same cockpit, and likely similar datalinks and mission computers as well.

Not much is known about J-15’s AESA radar while the F3R-standard Rafale M is equipped with Thales’ RBE2-AA. The RBE2 AA is reported to deliver a greater detection range of 200 km.

The Rafale M carries the OSF (optronique secteur frontal) electro-optical and infra-red search and track (IRST), and video imaging sensor suite in a permanent mount on the nose ahead of the canopy.

This system comprises a pair of sensors-the first is an IRST designed for BVR scan and tracking of air targets without emitting any detectable radiation, which also has a secondary capability to scan for land or maritime targets. The second is an electro-optical/IR video imaging sensor for use within around 35-40km, and which includes a laser range finding capability.

The Damocles targeting pod is also regularly carried for multirole or strike missions, which includes full IR/EO imaging and laser designation and spot track capabilities, as well as datalink relay node for transferring ISR data to tanker and AWACS assets in flight.

The J-15 received an upgrade at the end of 2021 that included enhancements to its missile pylons, an infrared search and track system, the radar and the wings. The upgrade also include a STOBAR capability to enable operation from China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fuijan.

Weapons

The Rafale-M can carry up to 9.5 tons of weapons, fuel tanks and pods on 13 external hardpoints, and is capable of low-level, high-speed penetrations to evade enemy radar.

Rafale-M can be armed with Meteor-beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, Hammer air to surface smart weapon system, SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, MICA air-to-air missiles, EXOCET anti-ship missiles, classic bombs and laser-guided bombs. A 2500 rounds/min NEXTER 30M791 30 mm internal cannon is available on both single and two-seaters.

The J-15’s munitions are mounted on 12 external hardpoints with a capacity of 6,500 kg. Its primary air-to-air weapons suite adopts PL-12 BVRAAM and PL-8 SRAAM missiles. The anti-surface weapons  consists of three primary weapons types. The YJ-91 anti-radiation missile, the YJ-83K anti-ship missiles and the KD-88  standoff weapon; the last two have a range in excess of 200km.

The 2021 upgrade to the J-15 include the capability to launch the PL-15 BVRAAM, China’s most advanced air-to-air missile.

J-15 is armed with a 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon with 150 rounds.