The French government has signed a contract with Dassault Aviation to upgrade the Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft of the "Armée de l'Air Française" (French Air Force) into a networked weapon with new capabilities and weapons.
The $2.3 billion (€2 billion) contract with Dassault Aviation will lead to the development of the Rafale F4 standard. It will initially include 28 Rafale fighters.
The F4 standard will feature upgraded radar sensors and front sector optronics. It will also have improved capabilities in the helmet-mounted display (HMD). There will also be novel connectivity solutions to improve the warplane's effectiveness in network-centric warfare.
It will deploy new weapons, notably MBDA's Mica NG air-to-air missile and 1,000 kg AASM air-to-ground modular weapon. Rafale F4s will also be able to carry the new Scalp missiles and will be equipped with the Talios multifunction optronic pod made by Thales.
"The F4 standard guarantees that Rafale will remain at a world-class level so that our combat air forces can carry out all their missions with optimum efficiency, whether in coalition operations or completely independently, as required by the French nuclear deterrent," said Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation.
The 28 aircraft will include some F4 functionalities and be delivered to the French Air Force starting 2023. The aircraft's F4 standard should be validated by 2024 but some functions will be ready by 2022.
Defense Minister Florence Parly said a further 30 Rafales at the full F4 standard will be ordered in 2023 for delivery between 2027 and 2030.
The F1 standard was designed specifically for the French Navy. The F2 standard gave Rafale air-to-ground and air-to-air capabilities. The F3 and F3R gave the warplane extended versatility.
Armed with a wide range of weapons, the "omnivore" Rafale can conduct air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike, and nuclear deterrence missions.
Rafale has a high altitude speed of Mach 1.8 (1,912 km/h) and a range of some range 3,700 km with three drop tanks. Its 14 hardpoints can carry avionics pods; air-to-air missiles; air-to-ground missiles; anti-ship missiles and nuclear missiles. It is one of only a few nuclear-capable attack aircraft in the world.
Dassault says Rafale is the only totally omnirole aircraft in the world able to operate from a land base or an aircraft carrier. The fighter is capable of carrying 1.5 times its weight in weapons and fuel and has been designed to perform the full spectrum of combat aircraft missions.
