Latest-Generation Rafale Fighter Enters French Air Force Service | Aviation International News

Latest-Generation Rafale Fighter Enters French Air Force Service

The F4 standard Rafale represents a major improvement in terms of communications, sensors and weapons capability.

Dassault Rafale F4 fighter — The first Rafale F4.1 taxis in at its new home of Mont-de-Marsan, where training on the new variant is getting under way. (Photo: AAE)

March 7, 2023

The first Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter to be converted to the latest F4.1 standard was re-delivered to France's Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (AAE, French air and space force) at Mont-de-Marsan near Bordeaux on March 2. Designated as 30-FU, Rafale B 354 is the first of two test aircraft for the fighter trials squadron ECE 1/30 “Côte d'Argent” and will be used to begin training.

The F4 marks a new step in the iterative Rafale development, following on from standards F1 (specific to the first aircraft of the French Navy), F2 (air-to-ground and air-to-air capabilities), and F3/F3-R (extended versatility). Development of the F3-R standard was launched in January 2014 and was completed in October 2018.

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