France has announced that it will deliver Rafale multirole fighter aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force between 2028 and 2029…
In addition, France will provide licenses for Ukraine for the production of Aster-30 air defense missiles used in SAMP/T air defense systems, AASM Hammer precision-guided munitions, and SCALP cruise missiles.
The program covers the procurement of 16 Rafale fighter jets and their associated weapon systems for the Ukrainian Air Force, with the first platforms expected to be delivered in the 2028–2029 timeframe.
The Rafale is a twin-engine, multirole, 4.5-generation fighter aircraft developed by the French company Dassault Aviation.
Powered by M88-2 turbofan engines, the Rafale has a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and a supersonic cruise capability of approximately Mach 1.4.
With a maximum takeoff weight reaching 24.5 tons, the platform’s combat radius varies between 1,000 and 1,400 kilometers depending on the mission configuration, while its ferry range can exceed 3,700 kilometers with external fuel tanks.
The Rafale can be equipped with MICA air-to-air missiles, SCALP-EG cruise missiles, AASM Hammer precision-guided bombs, Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles, and ASMP-A nuclear missiles.
The platform’s SPECTRA electronic warfare and self-protection system, along with its modular avionics architecture, allows for threat detection, electronic countermeasures, and continuous capability modernization…