US and France Qualify Rafale M Jets to Refuel F18 Fighters and Extend Range of Joint Operations
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
A joint flight test campaign currently underway in the United States aims to certify the Rafale Marine’s ability to refuel key aircraft of the US Navy’s carrier-based aviation. According to an official announcement by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), the campaign is led by a joint team composed of the French Navy’s Fleet Support Service, the Naval Aeronautics Experimentation Center (CEPA/10S), and NAWCAD’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-23, based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Versatile and designed as an “omnirole” platform, the Rafale M is capable of performing air superiority, strike, reconnaissance, nuclear deterrence, and electronic warfare missions (Picture source: US DoD)
This operational testing program seeks to confirm the compatibility of the Rafale Marine, in its “buddy store” configuration, to conduct aerial refueling missions with the F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler aircraft of the US Navy. A photograph released by the US Navy showing a Rafale M in flight during one of these test missions underlines the direct involvement of the French carrier-based fighter in this unprecedented certification effort. The stated goal of this collaboration is to extend the operational range of carrier air wings and improve interoperability between allied air forces in a multinational context.
The Rafale M, developed by Dassault Aviation, is the naval variant of the Rafale multirole fighter. Designed to operate from CATOBAR-equipped aircraft carriers, it can be launched from a 112-meter catapult and land on a deck of just 105 meters. Its reinforced structure, stable approach characteristics, and suitability for maritime operations make it a core asset for naval aviation. Its extended range and ability to conduct aerial refueling operations, including those involving allied aircraft such as those of the US Navy, further increase its utility in long-range power projection scenarios.
Versatile and designed as an “omnirole” platform, the Rafale M is capable of performing air superiority, strike, reconnaissance, nuclear deterrence, and electronic warfare missions. With an empty weight of 11 tons, a length of 15.27 meters, and a wingspan of 10.8 meters, it combines high-performance capability with operational adaptability. Its integration into joint allied procedures and standards makes it a key component of coalition operations, particularly where logistical capacities such as aerial refueling are critical to sustained operational presence.
This type of certification, while highly technical, carries strategic implications. It not only ensures the physical and procedural compatibility of refueling systems but also harmonizes safety protocols and operational doctrines between two naval forces with different traditions but increasingly integrated operations. The ability to transfer fuel between allied aircraft within a carrier strike group is a major enabler for operational endurance and tactical flexibility at sea.
While the Rafale M has previously demonstrated its ability to refuel other Rafales during deployments and international exercises, this campaign represents the first formal certification involving US aircraft. It may also serve to validate the use of the new NARANG refueling pod, developed by Safran and currently being introduced into the French Navy. The NARANG pod can deliver up to 1,000 liters of fuel per minute, with a total transfer capacity of two tons at a distance exceeding 400 nautical miles, and features advanced built-in diagnostic and self-test systems.
The Pacific Steller 25 exercise, conducted in February 2025 and involving the aircraft carriers Charles de Gaulle, USS Carl Vinson, and the Japanese helicopter carrier JS Kaga, had already included aerial refueling operations between Rafale M and F-18 aircraft, according to official French Navy statements. However, the ongoing tests at Patuxent River represent a more advanced phase of technical validation, aligned with US Navy standards and aimed at a full certification for operational use.
The qualification of the Rafale Marine as a refueling platform for US Navy aircraft therefore, goes beyond simple technical compatibility. It reflects a convergence of capabilities between the two main Western navies operating CATOBAR carriers, enhancing the autonomy of carrier air wings, broadening operational options, and emphasizing the importance of shared standards in an environment increasingly shaped by joint exercises and high-intensity conflict scenarios.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
A joint flight test campaign currently underway in the United States aims to certify the Rafale Marine’s ability to refuel key aircraft of the US Navy’s carrier-based aviation. According to an official announcement by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), the campaign is led by a joint team composed of the French Navy’s Fleet Support Service, the Naval Aeronautics Experimentation Center (CEPA/10S), and NAWCAD’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-23, based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
Versatile and designed as an “omnirole” platform, the Rafale M is capable of performing air superiority, strike, reconnaissance, nuclear deterrence, and electronic warfare missions (Picture source: US DoD)
This operational testing program seeks to confirm the compatibility of the Rafale Marine, in its “buddy store” configuration, to conduct aerial refueling missions with the F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler aircraft of the US Navy. A photograph released by the US Navy showing a Rafale M in flight during one of these test missions underlines the direct involvement of the French carrier-based fighter in this unprecedented certification effort. The stated goal of this collaboration is to extend the operational range of carrier air wings and improve interoperability between allied air forces in a multinational context.
The Rafale M, developed by Dassault Aviation, is the naval variant of the Rafale multirole fighter. Designed to operate from CATOBAR-equipped aircraft carriers, it can be launched from a 112-meter catapult and land on a deck of just 105 meters. Its reinforced structure, stable approach characteristics, and suitability for maritime operations make it a core asset for naval aviation. Its extended range and ability to conduct aerial refueling operations, including those involving allied aircraft such as those of the US Navy, further increase its utility in long-range power projection scenarios.
Versatile and designed as an “omnirole” platform, the Rafale M is capable of performing air superiority, strike, reconnaissance, nuclear deterrence, and electronic warfare missions. With an empty weight of 11 tons, a length of 15.27 meters, and a wingspan of 10.8 meters, it combines high-performance capability with operational adaptability. Its integration into joint allied procedures and standards makes it a key component of coalition operations, particularly where logistical capacities such as aerial refueling are critical to sustained operational presence.
This type of certification, while highly technical, carries strategic implications. It not only ensures the physical and procedural compatibility of refueling systems but also harmonizes safety protocols and operational doctrines between two naval forces with different traditions but increasingly integrated operations. The ability to transfer fuel between allied aircraft within a carrier strike group is a major enabler for operational endurance and tactical flexibility at sea.
While the Rafale M has previously demonstrated its ability to refuel other Rafales during deployments and international exercises, this campaign represents the first formal certification involving US aircraft. It may also serve to validate the use of the new NARANG refueling pod, developed by Safran and currently being introduced into the French Navy. The NARANG pod can deliver up to 1,000 liters of fuel per minute, with a total transfer capacity of two tons at a distance exceeding 400 nautical miles, and features advanced built-in diagnostic and self-test systems.
The Pacific Steller 25 exercise, conducted in February 2025 and involving the aircraft carriers Charles de Gaulle, USS Carl Vinson, and the Japanese helicopter carrier JS Kaga, had already included aerial refueling operations between Rafale M and F-18 aircraft, according to official French Navy statements. However, the ongoing tests at Patuxent River represent a more advanced phase of technical validation, aligned with US Navy standards and aimed at a full certification for operational use.
The qualification of the Rafale Marine as a refueling platform for US Navy aircraft therefore, goes beyond simple technical compatibility. It reflects a convergence of capabilities between the two main Western navies operating CATOBAR carriers, enhancing the autonomy of carrier air wings, broadening operational options, and emphasizing the importance of shared standards in an environment increasingly shaped by joint exercises and high-intensity conflict scenarios.
