France’s first Rafale F4 fighter jet for UAE moves to initial flight testing after official presentation
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On January 29, 2025, Éric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, officially unveiled the first Rafale F4 fighter aircraft produced for the United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAE AF) in the presence of French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohamed Bin Moubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei. The aircraft will remain at Dassault Aviation’s Flight Test Center for scheduled evaluations before its delivery to the UAE AF & AD, planned to begin at the end of 2026. This aircraft is the first produced under the €17 billion contract signed in December 2021 for 80 Rafale F4s. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The F4 standard includes improvements in data processing, artificial intelligence-assisted sensor fusion, and an upgraded helmet-mounted display. Furthermore, the Rafale’s communications systems have been enhanced for network-centric operations, and provisions have been made for the integration of future weapon systems. (Picture source: Dassault Aviation)
The UAE formally entered negotiations to acquire the Rafale on June 19, 2009, as part of its process to replace its Mirage 2000-9E fleet. On November 16, 2011, the UAE publicly described Dassault’s offer as “non-competitive.” On April 19, 2013, the UAE signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to acquire 25 F-16E/F Block 60 fighters, which further delayed any immediate Rafale purchase. Discussions shifted toward modernizing the Mirage 2000-9 fleet rather than acquiring new fighter jets.
On December 19, 2013, BAE Systems announced that the UAE had ruled out the Eurofighter Typhoon from its procurement plans, leaving the Rafale as the only remaining option. Negotiations for 60 aircraft continued in February 2015, but by 2020, the possibility of a Rafale acquisition appeared unlikely, as discussions focused on Mirage 2000-9 upgrades. The UAE also expressed interest in the Sukhoi Su-57 before opting for the F-35. In late 2020 and November 2021, reports indicated renewed interest in the Rafale, leading to the eventual contract.
On December 3, 2021, the UAE finalized its order for 80 Rafale F4s, with the contract signed in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Vice-Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The agreement was signed by Dassault CEO Éric Trappier and Tawazun Economic Council CEO Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani. The €17 billion contract officially took effect on April 19, 2022, with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2031. The Rafale F4s will replace the UAE’s Mirage 2000-9 fleet, acquired in 1998.
The Rafale program originated in the early 1980s when France withdrew from the multinational Future European Fighter Aircraft (FEFA) project, which led to the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon. Dassault Aviation designed the Rafale as a twin-engine, canard-delta wing multirole fighter for air superiority, ground attack, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence missions. The aircraft first flew in 1986 as a technology demonstrator and entered operational service in 2001 with the French Navy and in 2006 with the French Air Force.
Unlike other European fighter programs, the Rafale is primarily developed and manufactured in France, involving contributions from approximately 400 companies, with 90% of its 300,000 components produced domestically. According to a report by the French National Assembly published in 2013, the unit cost of the Rafale is between 90 and 100 million euros, excluding the weaponry.
The aircraft has 14 external hardpoints (13 on the carrier-based Rafale M), five of which are designed for heavy ordnance or external fuel tanks. The Rafale has an empty weight of around 10 tonnes and is designed to carry up to 25 tonnes, including armaments and fuel, making it the only fighter in service capable of carrying 1.5 times its own weight. The Rafale has been used in military operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq, and Syria. Its first combat deployment occurred in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2011. In 2011, it carried out strike missions against armored columns in Libya. In 2013, during Operation Serval in Mali, a Rafale conducted a long-range airstrike lasting 9 hours and 35 minutes.
The aircraft has also been deployed in counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Syria. The Rafale is designed for carrier and land-based operations and has a takeoff distance requirement of 400 meters. It has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (2,200 km/h) and an operational range of 1,850 km at high altitude. The aircraft is equipped with the RBE2 AA active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and carries various munitions, including Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, SCALP-EG cruise missiles, AASM Hammer guided bombs, and AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles. The SPECTRA electronic warfare suite provides self-protection and threat detection.
The F4 standard introduces upgrades in radar, electronic warfare, and networked communication capabilities. It includes improvements in data processing, artificial intelligence-assisted sensor fusion, and an upgraded helmet-mounted display. The aircraft’s communications systems have been enhanced for network-centric operations, and provisions have been made for the integration of future weapon systems. Flight testing for the F4 standard began in 2021, and the first deliveries occurred in 2023. All newly produced Rafales will be built to this standard, while existing aircraft will undergo retrofitting. In 2019, the French government allocated an additional €2 billion for further development, focusing on adapting the aircraft to evolving operational requirements.
The Rafale is currently operated by France, Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, Indonesia, and the UAE. The UAE’s acquisition of 80 Rafales represents the largest single export order for the aircraft to date. Serbia has finalized a contract for 12 Rafales, while Iraq has expressed interest in acquiring 14 aircraft, with discussions reportedly involving payment through crude oil. Bangladesh has also been identified as a potential future operator. Since 2015, more Rafales have been sold internationally than acquired by the French military. Initial export orders were secured by Egypt, Qatar, and India between 2015 and 2016. After a period of limited sales, additional contracts were signed in 2021 and 2022, including deals with the UAE, Greece, Croatia, and Indonesia.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On January 29, 2025, Éric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, officially unveiled the first Rafale F4 fighter aircraft produced for the United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAE AF) in the presence of French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohamed Bin Moubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei. The aircraft will remain at Dassault Aviation’s Flight Test Center for scheduled evaluations before its delivery to the UAE AF & AD, planned to begin at the end of 2026. This aircraft is the first produced under the €17 billion contract signed in December 2021 for 80 Rafale F4s.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The F4 standard includes improvements in data processing, artificial intelligence-assisted sensor fusion, and an upgraded helmet-mounted display. Furthermore, the Rafale’s communications systems have been enhanced for network-centric operations, and provisions have been made for the integration of future weapon systems. (Picture source: Dassault Aviation)
The UAE formally entered negotiations to acquire the Rafale on June 19, 2009, as part of its process to replace its Mirage 2000-9E fleet. On November 16, 2011, the UAE publicly described Dassault’s offer as “non-competitive.” On April 19, 2013, the UAE signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to acquire 25 F-16E/F Block 60 fighters, which further delayed any immediate Rafale purchase. Discussions shifted toward modernizing the Mirage 2000-9 fleet rather than acquiring new fighter jets.
On December 19, 2013, BAE Systems announced that the UAE had ruled out the Eurofighter Typhoon from its procurement plans, leaving the Rafale as the only remaining option. Negotiations for 60 aircraft continued in February 2015, but by 2020, the possibility of a Rafale acquisition appeared unlikely, as discussions focused on Mirage 2000-9 upgrades. The UAE also expressed interest in the Sukhoi Su-57 before opting for the F-35. In late 2020 and November 2021, reports indicated renewed interest in the Rafale, leading to the eventual contract.
On December 3, 2021, the UAE finalized its order for 80 Rafale F4s, with the contract signed in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Vice-Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The agreement was signed by Dassault CEO Éric Trappier and Tawazun Economic Council CEO Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani. The €17 billion contract officially took effect on April 19, 2022, with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2031. The Rafale F4s will replace the UAE’s Mirage 2000-9 fleet, acquired in 1998.
The Rafale program originated in the early 1980s when France withdrew from the multinational Future European Fighter Aircraft (FEFA) project, which led to the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon. Dassault Aviation designed the Rafale as a twin-engine, canard-delta wing multirole fighter for air superiority, ground attack, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence missions. The aircraft first flew in 1986 as a technology demonstrator and entered operational service in 2001 with the French Navy and in 2006 with the French Air Force.
Unlike other European fighter programs, the Rafale is primarily developed and manufactured in France, involving contributions from approximately 400 companies, with 90% of its 300,000 components produced domestically. According to a report by the French National Assembly published in 2013, the unit cost of the Rafale is between 90 and 100 million euros, excluding the weaponry.
The aircraft has 14 external hardpoints (13 on the carrier-based Rafale M), five of which are designed for heavy ordnance or external fuel tanks. The Rafale has an empty weight of around 10 tonnes and is designed to carry up to 25 tonnes, including armaments and fuel, making it the only fighter in service capable of carrying 1.5 times its own weight. The Rafale has been used in military operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq, and Syria. Its first combat deployment occurred in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2011. In 2011, it carried out strike missions against armored columns in Libya. In 2013, during Operation Serval in Mali, a Rafale conducted a long-range airstrike lasting 9 hours and 35 minutes.
The aircraft has also been deployed in counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Syria. The Rafale is designed for carrier and land-based operations and has a takeoff distance requirement of 400 meters. It has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (2,200 km/h) and an operational range of 1,850 km at high altitude. The aircraft is equipped with the RBE2 AA active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and carries various munitions, including Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, SCALP-EG cruise missiles, AASM Hammer guided bombs, and AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles. The SPECTRA electronic warfare suite provides self-protection and threat detection.
The F4 standard introduces upgrades in radar, electronic warfare, and networked communication capabilities. It includes improvements in data processing, artificial intelligence-assisted sensor fusion, and an upgraded helmet-mounted display. The aircraft’s communications systems have been enhanced for network-centric operations, and provisions have been made for the integration of future weapon systems. Flight testing for the F4 standard began in 2021, and the first deliveries occurred in 2023. All newly produced Rafales will be built to this standard, while existing aircraft will undergo retrofitting. In 2019, the French government allocated an additional €2 billion for further development, focusing on adapting the aircraft to evolving operational requirements.
The Rafale is currently operated by France, Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, Indonesia, and the UAE. The UAE’s acquisition of 80 Rafales represents the largest single export order for the aircraft to date. Serbia has finalized a contract for 12 Rafales, while Iraq has expressed interest in acquiring 14 aircraft, with discussions reportedly involving payment through crude oil. Bangladesh has also been identified as a potential future operator. Since 2015, more Rafales have been sold internationally than acquired by the French military. Initial export orders were secured by Egypt, Qatar, and India between 2015 and 2016. After a period of limited sales, additional contracts were signed in 2021 and 2022, including deals with the UAE, Greece, Croatia, and Indonesia.
