In late December 2023, Dassault Aviation received an order from the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) for an additional 42 Rafale combat aircraft for the French Air Force (AAE).
“On behalf of Dassault Aviation and the 400 companies involved in the Rafale program, I would like to thank the Ministry for the Armed Forces, the DGA and the AAE for their renewed confidence”, said Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
“We are ready and determined to use our skills as prime contractor and complex systems integrator to serve the sovereignty of our nation. This military industrial sovereignty is an exception in Europe. It guarantees the superiority of our combat aviation. It is also an asset for diplomatic influence and an economic strength in export trade”.
Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the Rafale is a twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft capable of performing a wide variety of missions, including ground and sea attacks, reconnaissance, precision strikes, and nuclear strike deterrence.
It was originally developed for the French Navy and French Air Force and has been used in combat operations in many countries, such as Afghanistan, Mali, Libya, Syria, and Iraq. Moreover, the aircraft is operated by the air forces of Egypt, Greece, India and Qatar.
The Rafale aircraft has been designed to adapt to the latest technologies and user needs through successive standards. The development of Standard 4 is currently underway, which will focus on enhancing connectivity. Furthermore, Standard 5 is being prepared for launch and is expected to bring new capabilities in collaborative combat.
