The Honda CD-70 and Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft were both designed for two specific purposes: ground support and attracting attention from miles away.
Historically, the Honda 70 (later rebadged as the Honda CD70) is a four-stroke motorcycle produced by Honda of Japan between 1970-1991. Due to the emergence of “night riders” and “stealth agents” (otherwise known as Pindi Boys) in the streets of modern-day Rawalpindi, production was moved to Atlas Honda of Pakistan in 1991.
Rebranded, the Atlas Honda CD70 is an all-rounder bike with a dry weight of 82.0 kg (or 180.8 pounds). It is equipped with a standard single-cylinder four-stroke Air-Cooled motor which is designed to produce a peak output power of 5.19Ps and 7500 rpm.
On the other hand, the Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation, and is a source of adoration for the Number 17 Golden Arrows squadron of the Indian Air Force. Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike, and nuclear deterrence missions.
The Rafale was supposed to enter service in 1995-96, but it was delayed significantly owing to post-Cold War funding cuts and changes in priorities. During this period, the Honda CD-70 was gaining popularity both at home and abroad. In 1995, Atlas Honda signed an export agreement with Honda Motor Company Limited and initiates its first exports to Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
In terms of more appealing attributes, the Rafale C single-seat, the Rafale B twin-seat, and the Rafale M single-seat carrier-based versions are the three primary variants of the Dassault brand. These variants are capable of seating up to two passengers, while the Honda CD-70 comfortably holds a family of eight.
In terms of speed, an average Pindi Boy tops 100kph on a CD-70 during rush-hour on Islamabad Expressway. This includes aerial maneuvers such as lying flat on the motorcycle’s upper build, with the bike handles offering enough wingspan for mobility and flexible overtaking.
The Rafale aircraft easily tops 1.8 Mach, which is almost double the speed of sound, but only when there’s no aerial traffic within a 1,420km radius.
The Honda CD-70 has ride comfort and mileage supremacy over the Rafale in terms of time and distance covered. Just for perspective, the Rafale needs at least a few dozen seconds to lock and launch.
While the Rafale’s ground capability is heavily reliant upon sensory targeting pods (electro-optical/laser), the Honda CD-70 relies on the basic instincts of a Pindi Boy who knows his way around tricky spots within the Twin Cities. In this case, a Pindi Boy is far superior and more effective in terms of reaching a target on time.
The Rafale is a mismatch for dogfights as well. While Pindi Boys on CD-70s use physical capabilities and raw vision to rear-tap their opponents, the complicated pod-based sensor equipment of the Rafale makes it very difficult for the aircraft to successfully execute air-to-ground strikes without misfiring a few shots beforehand.
While the Honda CD-70 is set to perform ground maneuvers during the National Day Parade on 23 March in Islamabad and Rawalpindi and will continue to do so for many years to come, the Rafale still lacks the technical grit to offer an across-the-board functionality in a simple game of “catch me if you can”.
Let’s have a look at the detailed comparison of the Honda CD-70 and the Dassault Rafale fighter jet.
| Attributes | CD-70 | Rafale |
| Weight | Light-weight | middle-weight |
| Engine | Single-engine | twin-engine |
| Generation | 4th generation | 4.5th generation |
| Role | Multi-role | Fighter and interceptor |
| Features | CD-70 | Rafale |
| Crew | Max: 8 | Max: 2 |
| Length | 1897 mm | 15300 mm |
| Wingspan | 751 mm | 10900 mm |
| Height | 1014 mm | 5300 mm |
| Empty weight (Dry Weight) | 82 kg | ~10,000 kg |
| Max takeoff weight | 0 kg | 24,500 kg |
| Fuel capacity | 8.5 liters (+1 Liter Reserve) | 5529 liters |
These characteristics are random and subject to change after the arrival of newer CD-70 variants in the coming months.
