France’s defense procurement agency has awarded several contracts for preparatory activities ahead of the planned production launch of the Rafale F5 standard in late 2026.
The F5 represents a significant modernization of the 4.5-generation Rafale, intended to maintain the fighter’s effectiveness against increasingly sophisticated and evolving threats.
Dassault Aviation, Thales, MBDA France, and Safran Aircraft Engines will contribute to the upgrade, which will introduce several advanced capabilities. These include a GPS-independent navigation system, a low-observability data link, an upgraded radar and propulsion system, and enhanced electronic warfare and self-protection capabilities through the SPECTRA suite.
The Rafale F5 will also be designed to integrate MBDA France’s ASN4G, a nuclear-capable, scramjet-powered hypersonic air-launched cruise missile currently under development.
The F5 standard is expected to achieve qualification around 2033 before entering service with the French Air and Space Force and subsequently the French Navy.
France does not currently operate a fifth-generation fighter aircraft and is instead participating in the development of a sixth-generation platform through the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program. The next-generation aircraft is not expected to enter service before 2040.
Key Rafale F5 Contracts
Dassault Aviation will develop a very-low-drift inertial navigation system based on resonant hemispherical gyroscope technology. The system will enable the Rafale F5 to accurately determine its position, movement, and orientation without depending on external navigation signals such as GPS.
Thales has received a contract to develop a new Inter-Vehicle Data Link designed to provide secure, high-speed, and low-probability-of-detection communications. The system will be engineered to withstand jamming and maintain reliable connectivity in heavily contested electromagnetic environments.
Thales will also develop and manufacture the RBE2-XG (2-plane eXtended Generation) electronically scanned radar, representing a major evolution of the RBE2 AESA radar currently deployed on Rafale aircraft.
The RBE2-XG is expected to deliver greater power and detection range, enhanced performance against low-radar-cross-section targets, and increased computing capacity. These improvements will support broader integration of artificial intelligence technologies and enable the radar to contribute more effectively to collaborative combat operations.
The radar will also incorporate enhanced resilience against emerging threats, including cyber threats, supporting operational requirements extending beyond 2035.
Electronic Warfare and Engine Upgrades
MBDA France and Thales will upgrade the Rafale’s SPECTRA electronic warfare and self-protection suite. The improvements are intended to strengthen the aircraft’s jamming and defensive capabilities against increasingly sophisticated and densely deployed threats.
Safran Aircraft Engines has received a contract for the preliminary design of the M88 T-REX, an upgraded version of the M88-2 turbofan engine. The new configuration is planned to increase maximum thrust by approximately 20%, from 7.5 tonnes to 9 tonnes.
The M88 T-REX will retain the M88-2’s modular architecture and low fuel consumption while introducing improvements across several engine modules.
The Rafale program remains a major contributor to France’s aerospace and defense industrial base, supporting more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs and involving over 400 companies across the country.
