France to expand Rafale fighter fleet to 286 jets under 2026 budget

France has announced plans to substantially enlarge its Rafale combat aircraft fleet, setting a new target of 286 jets under the forthcoming 2026 defense budget. The proposed expansion represents a significant increase from the current ceiling of 225 aircraft and reflects evolving security requirements and operational commitments.

Fleet Expansion Details

The Ministry of the Armed Forces intends to order 61 additional Rafale aircraft for distribution between the Air and Space Force and Naval aviation components. The budget allocation also covers replacement of two Rafales lost in an August 2024 Air Force accident, addressing both quantitative growth and maintenance of existing operational capabilities.

Regulatory Framework and Projections

While previous defense planning documents, including the 2013 White Paper and 2019-2025 Military Programming Law, established the 225-aircraft limit, the new 2024-2030 Military Programming Law envisions progressive growth. The current plan projects 178 Rafales operational by 2030, building toward the previous 225 target by 2035, with the new budget potentially accelerating this timeline.

Operational History and Capabilities

Manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the Rafale platform entered French military service with the Air Force in 1998 and the Navy in 1999. The multirole aircraft serves as the cornerstone of French air power, performing missions ranging from air superiority and ground attack to reconnaissance and nuclear deterrence operations across global deployments.

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