Yikes bad report for Rafael. Got this from another forum.
key points in the report:
- Lack of stealth (VLO) is a key handicap. French forces may be relegated to a supporting role in coalitions, relying on allies with stealth fighters.
- The Rafale struggles against 5th-gen stealth fighters in exercises; its sensors are insufficient for parity
- only ~30 of ~ 200 Rafales would be available for sustained high-intensity combat
Other summaries....
"The Future of Air Superiority" by
Adrien Gorremans (Ifri, 2025) directly addresses the role of
Rafale and
non-stealth 4th generation aircraft in a modern air combat environment dominated by
stealth fighters and
advanced surface-to-air threats.
- France’s air power (built around the Rafale) is optimized for nuclear deterrence and homeland air defense.
- In high-intensity coalition warfare, Rafale-based air forces face serious limitations, particularly:
- Lack of radar stealth
- No organic SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) capabilities
- Limited fleet size and munitions stockpiles
- Rafale may struggle against 5th gen stealth aircraft in direct air-to-air engagements.
- Electronic warfare, sensor fusion, and networked operations are now key — areas where platform-centric fighters like Rafale may fall behind if not modernized
To keep Rafale relevant in modern high-intensity warfare, the report suggests:
- Upgrade Rafale's mission systems and munitions
- Integrate it into a distributed sensor/weapons network (not relying on Rafale alone)
- Invest in complementary systems: drones, standoff munitions, and cooperative SEAD tools
- Reserve high-end stealth assets for essential missions, using Rafale in mixed-force roles (Hi-Lo mix)
The report asserts the following
Current Rafale F4 lacks
- Wide-band radar targeting and geo-location
- Real-time emitter mapping
- Full electronic support measures (ESM) suite needed for SEAD coordination
- AGM-88 HARM / AARGM
- MALD decoys (Miniature Air-Launched Decoy)
- LOCAAS or loitering SEAD drones
- Towed decoy.
- dedicated trained SEAD units like Wild Weasels
Finally, SEAD using HAMMER is a one way trip unless the Rafale is able to use terrain features (mountains / valley) to get close enough to enemy AD undetected.
Bottom Line
Here is the URL for English translation.
file:///C:/Users/hewho/Downloads/ifri_gorremans_avenir_superiorite_aerienne_2025.fr.en%20(1).pdf
@Optimist
All I've heard from Rafale fanboys in here is the Rafale is good enough to take on the J-20 and a competitor to the F-35 well we can finally put this BS claim to bed once and for all thanks to this French report shotting down the hype of this fighter from French in here.