Best No Stealth Fighter?: The Dassault Rafale, France’s twin-engine, multi-role fighter jet, stands out for its distinct design and homegrown innovation. Originally part of the Eurofighter Typhoon project, France opted to develop the Rafale independently, ensuring all systems—from its AESA radar to weapons integration—were domestically crafted.
-With a Mach 1.8 top speed, 14 hard points, and a nuclear-capable cruise missile, the Rafale has proven versatile across air-to-air, air-to-ground, and maritime missions.
-Operated by nine nations, including India and the UAE, it has seen combat in Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria.
-Upgrades and modernizations will determine its longevity against evolving 5th-generation threats.
Dassault Rafale: France’s Powerful Fighter Jet Dominating Global Skies
The French Dassault Rafale fighter jet name translates to “gust of wind” or “burst of fire” in English, a concept which seems to have gotten traction around the world because the French-built twin-engine fighter jet is used by more than nine countries as well as France.
The Indigenous French fighter was originally part of a European team arrangement to build the Eurofighter, a multi-national collaborative effort that has now become the well-known “Typhoon.” France, however, exited the cooperative initiative with the UK, Italy, Spain, and Germany and built its own Dassault fighter.
Dassault Rafale: Distinct Airframe
The aircraft has a distinct look: two wings on each side, a semi-smooth, rounded blended wing body, and a thin, angular front section.
Described as a 4.5-Gen aircraft, the Dussalt Rafael incorporates a highly effective and widely used Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar that allows the craft to search for and lock down targets in coordination with frontal “infrared search and track” sensors. Unlike the multi-national European Typhoon, the French Dassault’s sensors, electronic warfare, avionics, and weapons systems were all built entirely in the single country of France.
There are many variants of the aircraft, including a single-seat carrier-launched aircraft, and the platform has a top speed of Mach 1.8; the Dassault is identified as a multi-role fighter capable of air-to-air, air-to-surface, and air-to-ground attack.
F-35. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Although described as a multi-role fighter, much like an F-35, the Dassault Rafael may not possess US 5th-generation technological assets.
The Dussault has 14 external hard points and can take off with a full complement of weapons, including air-dropped precision bombs, air-fired Storm Shadow Missiles, air-to-air weapons, and a nuclear-capable cruise missile called the ASMP-A.
While built by French companies Dassault Rafael, Thales, and Safran, the fighter became quite successful as an international platform and is in service with India, Egypt, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, and Serbia. The fighter was used in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, and Syria in combat.
The aircraft is newer than many 4th-gen aircraft that emerged in the 1980s, such as the F-15 and F-16, yet its continued relevance hinges upon the extent to which it has been upgraded.
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Oct. 14, 2020. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter aircraft that has proven itself in both air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Duncan C. Bevan)
If the Dassault Rafael undergoes upgrades, modernization efforts, or a Service Life Extension Plan, it could prove highly worthwhile in conflicts against 4th-generation aircraft.
There have been so many technological breakthroughs in the last 20 years that the Dassault would have to have received regular upgrades in order to compete in a modern threat environment.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
