#france
The Rafale, developed by Dassault Aviation, is the centerpiece of the French Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (Air and Space Force), and is arguably one of the best multirole aircraft in service today. However, developing such an advanced machine was no easy task. France chose to create a combat aircraft that could replace a wide array of legacy platforms, from reconnaissance and nuclear deterrence to air superiority and naval operations. The Rafale embodies the concept of, as Dassault calls it, an “omnirôle” aircraft, designed to excel in every mission, performing multiple roles in a single flight, and doing so without requiring major modifications to the aircraft itself. In this article, I will explore the history of its development, from the prototypes to the pre-production models.
The Great French Revolution shook the entire world, and one of the first and most important events of that time was the storming of the Bastille prison-fortress on July 14th, 1789. This date was not celebrated for almost a hundred years until 1880, when July 14th became a National Holiday. For this day, a large military parade on the Champs Elysees was established one hundred years later in 1980.
After WW2, most French vessels were armed with 5” guns, similar to the American 5"/38 Mk.12 cannon, and Bofors 57 mm guns. However, in 1953, a new gun was developed that would replace both of them and deal with anti-air and anti-surface duties. This led to the development of the 100 mm/55, a cannon that would equip all French vessels, from frigates to aircraft carriers, all the way to the modern day. In game, the 100 mm/55 is among the best French naval guns, combining an excellent fire-rate, great damage, and both anti-air and anti-ship capabilities. Found in both the German and French tech trees, it is the ultimate reward for coastal forces and offers great success in your engagements.
The F-84G is often one of the first jets for many players. It can be used for both air combat and ground attack, making it a solid multi-role aircraft. Although it is a bit older compared to jets like the MiG-15 or F-86, it can still hold its own and compete well against these more modern aircraft.
The Mirage IIIC is an iconic French single-seat delta-wing jet fighter from the late 1950s. The aircraft is highly maneuverable with excellent flight performance, capable of flying at supersonic speeds at any altitude. Its primary armament consists of two 30mm DEFA cannons and air-to-air missiles, initially carrying only one Matra R530 radar-guided missile while later versions could also carry two AIM-9B or Magic 1 IR-guided missiles. For its time, the Mirage IIIC was equipped with a very modern radar, the Cyrano Ibis. This was the first radar in the world capable of automatically slewing its antenna onto a target, which meant that the pilot simply had to press a button, and the radar would acquire and lock onto the target. This reduced the workload of the pilot drastically, which is always of crucial importance in actual combat engagements.
The AMX-50 (TO90/930) is one of the many, many vehicles in the AMX-50 family—however, this tank has a dark secret: it's not like the others! For one, it stole its turret straight off the Char 25t, meaning it shares the same turret characteristics—including the ability to fire APHE shells, a sort of black magic for domestic French vehicles of this tier. The TO90 also shares the excellent 4-second reload with its brothers and can zoom around the map almost uncontested with its unparalleled mobility, although it can't take much fire because of its thin armor. Let's dive into the TO90's intricacies to see how it stacks up against its peers and adversaries!
The Somua SM is a magnificent French heavy tank, which brings together a mix of agility, firepower, and armor that is rarely seen at where it lies in the tech tree. This tank plays more like a medium tank with its agility and high top speed, but its armor is strong enough to bounce many shells. The main feature of this tank though, is the 100mm L/58 cannon, which has a reload of only four seconds. The Somua’s autoloader allows for this but it is also able to keep the formidable ballistics of the 100mm L/58 cannon. This article will go over the Somua in detail and describe its strengths and weaknesses.
Contrary to public belief, the 330 mm OPf Mle 1935 shell was not classified as a Semi-Armor Piercing type of ammunition. Historically, the Dunkerque class was designed to counter ships like the Graf Spee, which were lightly armored compared to other capital ships. One theory suggests that the 330 mm OPf shell was designed as SAP to fulfill this purpose. There are currently two claims that attempt to support the classification of the 330 mm OPf shell as SAP: the burster cavity was too large and the hardened cap was too thin compared to typical AP shells. However, additional historical and technical context disproves these claims and instead suggests that the 330 mm OPf shell was designed as AP. The historical context will be first established before addressing each of these claims.
After World War II, the Marine Nationale urgently needed to rebuild its fleet with domestic ships. By 1950, it still relied on pre-war vessels and Allied loans, pushing France to restore naval independence. Alongside major ships like the T 47-class destroyers, smaller patrol vessels such as the Fougueux and Adroit classes were designed. Intrépide, one of eleven Adroit-class ships, stood out for testing an experimental stern-mounted torpedo launcher. Introduced in the Tusk Force update, the Intrépide brings a unique coastal asset to France with a mix between the size of large frigates like the Marne and the armament of smaller patrol boats like the VLT-1.
