FUTURE RAFALE

Dassault Aviation and the French Defence Procurement Agency have launched development of Standard F4, the next variant of the Rafale omni-role fighter that will enter service in 2025. Henri-Pierre Grolleau has the story.

Latest Standards

A pair of Rafales at high altitude. The wingman is fitted with a TALIOS targeting pod under the right forward fuselage hardpoint while the lead carries the Damocles pod in the same position.
All photos DGA

ALL ARMÉE de l’Air (French Air Force) and Marine Nationale (French Navy) Rafale B, C and M variants in the inventory have now been brought up to increment F3.4+ standard. Dassault Aviation, its industrial partners and the French Armed Forces are now busy preparing for entry into service of the Standard F3R. This encompasses a range of new systems, including the Thales TALIOS (Targeting Long-range Identification Optronic System) targeting pod, the MBDA Meteor beyondvisual- range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), a Mode 5 IFF interrogator, a Mode S transponder, and numerous improvements to existing systems such as the RBE2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the Spectra electronic warfare/self-defence suite and the Link 16 tactical data link.

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