France awards first Rafale F5 development contracts to four defence firms

In the wake of the aborted Franco-German-Spanish Future Air Combat System, France is accelerating the Rafale F5 programme. The Directorate General of Armaments awarded separate contracts to Dassault, MBDA, Safran and Thales to develop the next-generation version of the omnirole fighter. The F5 will not reach full fifth-generation stealth, but will gain a robust networked combat system, the Inter-Vehicle Data Link, allowing it to operate alongside stealthy UCAVs.

It will also receive the Thales RBE2-XG AESA radar, a fully digital SPECTRA F5 electronic-warfare suite, and an upgraded Safran M88 T-REX engine delivering roughly 20 % more thrust. Integration with the forthcoming hypersonic ASN4G nuclear missile and advanced SEAD capabilities are also planned. The DGA expects qualification by 2033 and the aircraft to enter service in the mid-2030s.