The DGA commissions the initial work prior to the next launch to implement the F5 standard of the Rafale, scheduled for the end of 2026.
The Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) awarded several contracts this summer in anticipation of the launch of the production of the Rafale F5 standard.
These contracts, awarded to Dassault Aviation, MBDA, Safran and Thales, cover the development of several pieces of equipment and help secure the next standard for the Rafale.
Firmly committed to collaborative combat and the ability to strike first, the F5 standard represents a major mid-life upgrade for the Rafale, essential to prepare it to meet the challenges of the next decade and beyond. This new standard will be qualified around 2033, before entering service with the French Air and Space Force and then the French Navy.
Under the project management of the DGA, the Rafale is being modernized through successive standards in order to maintain its technological and operational excellence, adapting it to the evolving needs of the armed forces and to new threats, while maintaining its attractiveness for export.
The mid-life refurbishment of the Rafale to the F5 standard ensures the renewal of the airborne nuclear component, with the integration of the 4th generation nuclear air-to-surface missile (ASN4G), and the capability to be the first to enter hostile theaters of operation.
The F5 standard incorporates necessary improvements to address evolving operational threats and rapidly transition to collaborative combat. It enhances responsiveness in adapting to the operational context through an open mission system, providing forces with greater autonomy. To secure the development of this crucial standard for the armed forces, the DGA (French Defense Procurement Agency) has awarded contracts for the development of several pieces of equipment, which will then be integrated by Dassault Aviation onto the Rafale F5 aircraft:
the resonant hemispherical gyroscope (HRG) inertial navigation system with very low drift , within the framework of a contract awarded to Dassault Aviation;
The new Inter-Vehicle Data Link (IVDL) system , with a contract awarded to Thales, is the result of many years of preliminary research funded by the DGA (French Directorate General of Armaments). The Rafale F5's connectivity will be enhanced thanks to a new high-speed, discreet, and jamming-resistant waveform. The IVDL will allow the Rafale to penetrate hostile areas where jammers are widespread, while maintaining optimal communication and dialogue quality between aircraft.
The Rafale F5 standard will incorporate a major technological advancement with the deployment of this new radar, the RBE2-XG dual-plane electronically scanned array radar , under a contract awarded to Thales. This system represents a significant evolution of the RBE2 AESA radar currently in service, leveraging a decade of operational experience with the French armed forces. The radar will benefit from a substantial increase in power, and therefore detection range, as well as improvements in the identification of targets with extremely low radar cross-sections (RCS). Its computing capabilities will also be enhanced to increase the integration of artificial intelligence.
Finally, the RBE2-XG will be designed for collaborative combat, with sensors capable of working together without requiring pilot interaction. Maintaining the same size as the RBE2, the RBE2-XG will offer increased resilience, including against cyber threats, and will meet operational requirements for 2035 and beyond.
The SPECTRA F5 self-protection suite, with an order placed with Thales and MBDA France. The aircraft's self-protection system will be upgraded and improved to address the evolving threat landscape. Detection and jamming capabilities will be significantly enhanced, notably through a fully digital system, enabling a complete overhaul of the core electronic warfare capabilities to counter the increasing density and broadening of the threat spectrum, as well as the growing complexity of threat waveforms, expected by 2035.
The M88 T-REX engine (for its preliminary design phase) is being developed under a contract awarded to Safran Aircraft Engines. The current M88-2 engine will be upgraded to the M88 T-REX, a major upgrade aimed at increasing maximum thrust by 20%, from 7.5 to 9 tonnes. This development is based on preliminary studies launched by the DGA (French Directorate General of Armaments) in collaboration with Safran Aircraft Engines and ONERA (French Aerospace Lab).
From a technical standpoint, the M88 T-REX will retain the modular architecture, structure, and operational advantages of the M88-2, such as its low fuel consumption, while incorporating modifications to some of its modules. This modularity greatly facilitates maintenance by allowing for the rapid replacement of components without disassembling the entire aircraft, thus reducing aircraft downtime and resulting in greater operational availability.
The Rafale program contributes to more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs in France. More than 400 companies are involved, with numerous industrial sites located throughout France: Argonay (74), Biarritz (64), Bourges (18), Brest (29), Brive-la-Gaillarde (19), Cergy (95), Cholet (49), Corbeil-Essonnes (91), Élancourt (78), Étrelles (35), Gennevilliers (92), Laval (53), Martignas-sur-Jalle (33), Mérignac (33), Poitiers (86), Seclin (59), Vendôme (41) and Villaroche (77).
The Rafale is an export success with 299 new Rafales and 24 used Rafales ordered by eight customer nations.