Civil and military aircraft
Serving armed forcesAu service des forces armées
Our military aircraft play a crucial role in meeting current and future strategic challenges. In addition to France, eight other countries have placed their trust in the Rafale fighter. At the end of 2025, confirmed orders for the Rafale totaled 533 aircraft, including 323 for export, thus ensuring healthy levels of production into the future.
© C. Cosmao
Combat proven
The Rafale is one of the world’s most seasoned fighter jets. It has demonstrated its outstanding versatility in some of the most challenging operational environments. It can handle a variety of missions that previously required seven different types of aircraft. The Rafale is one of the key components of France’s nuclear deterrence.
In 2023, France placed an order for 42 fighters (otherwise known as Tranche 5). At the end of 2025, total French orders for the Rafale stood at 234, of which 189 have been delivered.
Rafale standards
The Rafale has been designed to be able to incorporate new features throughout its service life based on operational feedback. The F4 standard, currently under development for delivery in 2027, features enhanced networked combat capabilities.
The F5 standard will be focused on collaborative combat and advanced weapon systems including a fourth‑generation nuclear missile system. It will be capable of operating with a UCAS based on the nEUROn demonstrator.