So put up the specs, so I can tell you guys again, why the OSF is substandard, You don't want me to do all the work, do you?
Dassault Rafale - Updates and Discussion
- Thread starter Domobran7
- Start date
my dear kangaroo, french 6th gen fighter will be a reality before the first australian SSN reach its harbor.
The french air force doctrine is to positively identify a target before firing at it.
(to avoid friendly shoot)
It is not why uncle Sam don't use or master that technology that it's impossible. Remember : we are french....
So will F4 series receive any changes in Spectra some news outlet reports Gan jammers which im skeptical abtand any one who can clarify F4 upgrades in detail and technical stuff !
Happy 40th Birthday
Indian Rafales for another 40 years
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Rafale at 40: How India's Fleet Could Evolve Over the Next Four Decades
As the Dassault Rafale marks four decades since the programme's inception, attention is turning to how the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy could evolve their Rafale fleets over the coming decades through upgrades, new weapons, and indigenous technologies.
The French Rafale fighter program on July 4, 2026, marked 40 years since the first flight of its first technology demonstrator in 1986.
The French Air Force began defining requirements for the fighter in 1983, just three years before its first flight, although major development delays meant that it would be 18 years before the aircraft could be belatedly into service in 2001.
Indian Rafales for another 40 years
The Modern Army
Rafale at 40: How India's Fleet Could Evolve Over the Next Four Decades As the Dassault Rafale marks four decades since the programme's inception, attention is turning to how the Indian Air Force...
www.facebook.com
As the Dassault Rafale marks four decades since the programme's inception, attention is turning to how the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy could evolve their Rafale fleets over the coming decades through upgrades, new weapons, and indigenous technologies.
The French Rafale fighter program on July 4, 2026, marked 40 years since the first flight of its first technology demonstrator in 1986.
The French Air Force began defining requirements for the fighter in 1983, just three years before its first flight, although major development delays meant that it would be 18 years before the aircraft could be belatedly into service in 2001.
French Dassault Rafale F4 and F5 Standards: Next-Gen Connectivity, Drone Ops, and Strike Precision
Equipped with the Thales RBE2 XG radar and helmet-mounted displays, the F4 upgrade boosts situational awareness and data fusion for seamless coordination with allied forces. F5 standard, expected post-2033, will integrate hypersonic ASN4G missiles for nuclear deterrence.
www.grosswald.org
The F4 standard — qualified in three increments from 2023 to 2027 — transforms the aircraft from a capable fourth-generation fighter into a networked combat system with Meteor missiles, AESA radar, and collaborative datalinks. Beyond F4, the F5 standard (entering service ~2030) will add a 20%-more-powerful M88 T-REX engine, a loyal wingman UCAV derived from the nEUROn demonstrator, and AI-enabled autonomy.
1. The F4 Ladder
The F4 standard is structured as three incremental sub-standards, each adding capabilities that build on the last:| F4.1 | Mar 2023 | MBDA Meteor BVR missile, Thales TALIOS targeting pod, Scorpion helmet-mounted display, CONTACT radio (initial), improved data fusion |
| F4.2 | Oct 2025 | Collaborative combat datalink (centrepiece), Link 16 Block 2, SATCOM, TRAGEDAC/CAPOEIRA sensor fusion, AI-assisted operations |
| F4.3 | ~2027 (testing) | MBDA MICA NG (dual IR/RF seeker), upgraded SPECTRA EW suite, TALIOS with AI target recognition, enhanced multi-domain connectivity |
The step change is F4.2. It turns the Rafale from an individually capable aircraft into a networked node — the ability to fight as part of a system of systems rather than as an individual platform.
2. The F5 Standard: Engine, Drone, AI
The F5 is not an incremental sub-standard. It is a generational upgrade — the last major evolution of the Rafale airframe before whatever follows FCAS. Full-scale development begins 2026–2027, with entry into service targeted for approximately 2030.Three elements define the F5:
The M88 T-REX engine. Unveiled by Safran at the Paris Air Show in June 2025, the T-REX produces 88.2 kN (9 metric tons) of thrust with afterburner — a 20% increase over the current M88. It achieves this through an improved low-pressure compressor, a new high-pressure turbine with advanced cooling, and a modified exhaust nozzle, all within the same physical envelope as the existing engine. Qualification is aligned with F5 entry into service. Safran explicitly describes the T-REX as a technology bridge toward FCAS engine requirements.
The loyal wingman UCAV. In October 2024, the French Minister of the Armed Forces formally launched development of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) — a stealth UCAV derived from the nEUROn demonstrator, which has completed 170+ test flights since its December 2012 maiden flight. A new UCAS model was debuted at the Paris Air Show in June 2025. Capabilities include an internal weapons bay, autonomous ISR, SEAD, and electronic warfare. Operational deployment is targeted for 2033.
Harmattan AI. On 12 January 2026, Dassault and Thales announced an agreement to develop embedded AI functions for the F5, with particular focus on controlling unmanned aerial systems. The programme is named Harmattan — a sovereign AI capability that will give the Rafale F5 autonomous control over its loyal wingman without dependence on external AI stacks or allied systems.
Additional F5 features include the RBE2 XG radar (gallium nitride AESA, a significant leap in power and electronic attack capability), the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear cruise missile (replacing the ASMPA), and enhanced electronic warfare and cyber resilience. The F5 is the first French combat aircraft conceived from the outset for networked operations with drones and AI.