According to information provided by the French Ministry of Defense, Dassault Aviation has begun developing an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) that will complement the future version of its supersonic multirole fighter, the Dassault Rafale, known as the F5, which is expected to enter service with the French Air and Space Force in the 2030s.
The announcement was made during a ceremony at the Saint-Dizier Air Base, marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS). The event was attended by senior civil and military officials, including the Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (AAE), General Jérôme Bellanger, and the President of Dassault Aviation, Éric Trappier.
In this regard, the President of Dassault Aviation stated, “This stealth combat drone will contribute to the technological and operational superiority of the French Air Forces by 2033. It is significant that it is being launched today, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Strategic Air Forces and the 90th anniversary of the Air and Space Force: in aeronautics, a highly complex field, the future has deep roots, and innovation is built on experience. Dassault Aviation and its partners are proud to serve the French Armed Forces and the General Directorate for Armament (DGA). Their renewed trust honors and obliges us.”
The future stealth drone, which leverages experience gained from the nEUROn program, is part of efforts to maintain the technological superiority of the French Air Force by 2033. This new platform will be key to ensuring operational advantage by combining autonomous capabilities with advanced stealth technology and internal payloads.
The UCAV will operate alongside Rafale fighters, marking a crucial evolution for the French strategic forces. The fighter jet will be able to control a stealth combat drone directly from its cockpit, representing a revolutionary shift in French combat aviation, comparable to the technological leap of the Mirage 2000 replacing the Mirage III.
Notably, the official statement mentions that “The Rafale F5, combined with UCAVs and their evolutions, like the Mirage IV in its time, will guarantee France’s independence and superiority in capabilities for decades to come.” This could be a reference to the use of the UCAV as a complementary element to France’s nuclear deterrence capability, currently carried out by the Rafale B/C F3.
As for the Rafale F5 standard, one of the main features announced is the ability to carry the future next-generation nuclear missile, known as ASN4G, which will replace the ASMPA. Additionally, the new Rafale will be capable of incorporating the future conventional cruise missile that will succeed the SCALP, as well as the future anti-ship missile Exocet, which is expected to be of the hypersonic variety.
Image credits: Dassault Aviation – French Ministry of Defense.
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