DASSAULT OFFERS NEW PLANE TO DEFENCE MINISTRY
Avions Marcel Dassault-Breguet Aviation
<AVMD.PA> has offered the French Defence Ministry a new design
of its Rafale fighter which is lighter and less detectible by
radar, a company spokesman said today.
    The new version would weigh between 8.5 and nine tonnes
unarmed against 9.5 tonnes for the existing Rafale-A
demonstrator which first flew last year, he said.
    The Rafale-D design calls for special paints and materials
to absorb radar signals, as well as smoother contours and
electronic counter-measures.
 Reuter
