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Rafale

Dassault Rafale (French:lit. "squall") is a fourth-generation French multipurpose fighter developed by the French company Dassault Aviation[6]. It made its first flight in July 1986. Adopted by the French Navy and Air Force in 2004 (Navy) and 2006 (Air Force), respectively.

The Vision of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - 2035, was adopted in May 2020. The strategic document was developed on the basis of the Vision of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and aims to determine the rational ways of developing military aviation until 2035. A contract for the purchase of a multi-purpose fighter would be signed for a limited supply in the total number of up to 6-12 units. to begin in 2023-2025 for the start of experimental operation, By 2030, at least two tactical aviation brigades must be fully re-equipped with new aircraft and acquire full combat operational capabilities. The F-16 and JAS-39 are light single-engine fighters similar in class to the MiG-29, and the Rafale and F/A-18 are heavy multipurpose fighters with two engines.

The French publication Intelligence Online reported in April 2021 that the French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation would offer the Rafale multirole fighter. Andrii Lavreniuk reported "The fact that Intelligence Online, whose publications are mostly available by subscription, made the material about French aviation ambitions in Ukraine public, only shows that official Paris is interested in such public publicity." The Rafale, whose cost can range from 150 to 260 million euros, is the most expensive fighter in Europe and the world in its heavy class.

The French government was said to be ready to guarantee Ukraine a loan of 1.5 billion euros for the Rafale purchase, which would provide financial coverage of 85% of the contract value. Lavreniuk reported "Ukraine can order about 45 new Rafale fighters from France (this is if the cost is not more than 150 million euros per unit). At the same time, the strategic vision of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine envisages the presence in 2035 of four tactical aviation brigades, armed with 72-108 generation 4++ aircraft." [but 1.5 billion euros only buys 10 fighters at 150 million euro apiecce].

The aircraft has a complicated export history. Currently, it was in service with Egypt, Qatar, India and Greece.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has noted that even after the long-awaited agreement by allies to send Ukraine F-16 fighters, Kyiv remains interested in other aircraft models. Kuleba mentioned in an interview 31 August 2023 with the French Le Monde that Ukraine "will not limit its ambitions to obtaining F-16s." "We are working with other countries that produce the latest generation of aircraft," the Foreign Minister stated. He also emphasised the strategic advantages for France in terms of future investments from potentially supplying Ukraine with Rafale fighters.

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter plane with delta wings. Construction of the Rafale was initiated in 1980 by Dassault as an experimental combat aircraft - the ACX. It was to replace the tactical battlefield aircraft of the French air force Jaguar and the French navy Vouhgt F-8E and Dassault Super Etendard. Rafale A, powered by two General Electric F104 turbofan engines, left the assembly line on December 14, 1985, and exceeded the speed of sound in its first flight on July 4, 1986. In April 1987, the plane made several approaches to the aircraft carrier Clemenceau to mark an operation from the deck. In April 1989, the new SNECMA M88-2 engine was introduced, which became the basic power unit. The flight of the aircraft in this configuration took place on February 27, 1990.