Dassault Rafale

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Dassault described the Rafale as being an omnirole fighter with semi-stealth capabilities. The Rafale is a multirole combat aircraft; capable of simultaneously undertaking air supremacy, interdiction, reconnaissance, and the airborne nuclear deterrent missions. In the late 1970s, the French Air Force and Navy were seeking to replace and consolidate their current fleets of aircraft. In order to reduce development costs and boost prospective sales, France entered into an arrangement with four other European nations to produce an agile aerial fighter, but subsequent disagreements over workshare and differing requirements led to France pursuing their own development program. Dassault built a technology demonstrator which first flew in July 1986, however post-Cold War budget cuts and changes in priorities contributed to significant delays.

Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale