AIRCRAFT PROGRAM
| Lift type | Fixed wing | ||
| Construction type | Factory-built | ||
| Control type | Piloted | ||
| Engine type | Turbofan | ||
| Application | Attack, Fighter | ||
| Final assembly | Bordeaux (Merignac) | ||
| Search for other aircraft programs with these properties on the Aircraft Programs directory page. | |||
Subscribe today
and log in for unlimited access
Omnirole, delta wing combat aircraft with twin turbofan engines.
70% of the wetted area is made from composites. 50% of the fuselage is manufactured from carbon fibre with side skins of aluminium-lithium alloy. The wings - swept-back, delta wings with close-coupled fully moving canards—are predominantly composites with titanium slats, Kevlar wing root and tip fairings. The single vertical tail fin is carbon fibre with honeycomb core in rudder. Engine and wheel doors are also carbon fibre.
Single pilot in Rafale C/M plus weapons system officer in Rafale B seated in 29 degree reclined ejection seats. Glass cockpit is fully digital and features side-opening hinged canopy coated in gold. Pilot faces digital display of two square multifunction LCD screens plus third wide angle head level display, with HOTAS controls, side-stick controller on right and throttle on left.
| Variant | Launch/First flight | Production end | |
| Dassault Rafale B | 1982 / 1986 | Two-seater variant, being developed to accomodate single-pilot combat capability. | |
| Dassault Rafale C | 1986 / 1991 | Single-seat combat version for French Air Force. | |
| Dassault Rafale M | 1998 / 2001 | Single-seat, carrier-borne version of Rafale C. |
View full news archive for the Dassault Rafale.
| Dassault Aviation | News |
Other aircraft programs: Dassault nEUROn, Dassault 7X, Dassault 900LX, Dassault 2000 series, Dassault 8X, Dassault 6X, Dassault Falcon 10X, Dassault / ISAE Group Euroglider
| Materials | Adhesives (1) Composites (2) Lubricants (1) |
| Components | Bearings (2) Electrical Components (1) Electrical/Electronic Connectors (1) Fasteners (3) Mechanical Components (2) Sensors, Transducers & Detectors (2) Structural Components (4) Valves (1) |
| Airframe Systems | Airframe Assemblies (2) Crew Seating (1) Environmental Systems (2) Fluid Power (2) Landing Assemblies (1) Oxygen Systems & Equipment (1) Safety & Security Systems (3) Weapons Systems (3) |
| Avionics | Avionic Components (1) Communications (Airborne) (1) Flight and Data Management (2) Imaging and Visual Systems (1) Indicators and Instruments (3) Navigation Aids (Airborne) (1) |
| Power Systems | Auxiliary Power (1) Electrical Power Systems (2) Engine Components (4) Engines (1) Fuel Systems (2) Power Transmission (1) |
| Production | Production Equipment (1) Tools (2) |
| Testing | Test Equipment (1) |
| Hexcel Composites | Analysis | Carbon-reinforced Composites: Carbon fibers, structural adhesives, honeycombs, prepregs, sandwich panels and reinforcement fabrics |
| Magnolia Advanced Materials, Inc. | Analysis | Syntactic Composites: Adhesives, coatings and syntactics |
| Orelube Corporation | Analysis | Synthetic Lubricants: Boelube |
| NTN Europe | Analysis | Bearings: |
| Rexnord Industries, LLC | Analysis | Bearings: Seals & bearings |
| Safran Electrical & Power Villemur | Analysis | Wire Harnesses: Electrical wiring systems |
| HiRel Connectors, Inc. | Analysis | Electrical & Electronic Connectors: Connectors, removal crimp and hermetic solder contacts |
| Ateliers de la Haute Garonne AHG | Analysis | Solid Rivets: Aeronautical rivets; Bolts: Aeronautical bolts; Screws: Aeronautical screws |
| Avibank Mfg. Inc. | Analysis | Fasteners: Pins, bolts, fasteners & accessories |
| Ho-Ho-Kus, Inc. | Analysis | Fasteners: Clamps and fasteners, nuts, bolts & screws |
| Rexnord Aerospace - Cartiseal | Analysis | Mechanical Seals: Contacting & non-contacting face and circumferential seals |
| SACS Aerospace GmbH (was SACS Boysen Aerospace Group) | Analysis | Latches: |
| Collins Aerospace, Sensors & Integrated Systems | Analysis | Sensors/Transducers: Pitot probe; ice detectors; air data total air temperature sensors |
| Safran Electronics & Defense (Components) | Analysis | Sensors/Transducers: Redundant sensors for fly-by-wire systems |
| LISI Aerospace | Analysis | Aircraft Structural Components: |
| MAP Mecanique Aeronautique Pyreneenne | Analysis | Aircraft Structural Components: |
| TITAL GmbH | Analysis | News | Metal & Alloy Castings: Aluminium & titanium investment castings |
| Victoruzzo SL | Analysis | Precision Machined Parts: Landing gear & structural parts |
| The Lee Company | Analysis | Check Valves: ; Relief Valves: ; Hydraulic System Valves: ; Pressure Control Valves: |
| MAP Mecanique Aeronautique Pyreneenne | Analysis | Aircraft & Helicopter Controllers: Flight controls |
| Saint-Gobain Sully | Analysis | Transparent Canopies: Blister windscreen/canopy, gold coated to reduce radar reflection (Rafale C) |
| Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd. | Analysis | Ejector Seats: Mk.16 F16F zero/zero pilot ejection seat (Rafale C/M); Mk.16 F16F zero/zero pilot and WSO ejection seat (Rafale B) |
| Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS | Analysis | Cabin Pressure Control Systems: |
| Safran Ventilation Systems (was Technofan) | Analysis | Air Conditioning Equipment: Valves & fans; cockpit air conditioning system (Rafale C) |
| Eaton Aerospace, Fluid Conveyance Division | Analysis | Fluid Conveyance Systems: Pumps, valves, level sensors, pressure switches, refuel/defuel manifolds, and couplings |
| The Lee Company | Analysis | Hydraulic Filters: ; Hydraulic Systems Restrictors: |
| Safran Landing Systems | Analysis | Carbon Brakes: ; Aircraft Landing Gear: Main landing gear & nose landing gear; Brake-by-Wire Systems: ; Hydraulic Brakes: Hydraulic retractable tricycle landing gear (Rafale C) |
| Air Liquide | Analysis | Oxygen Generation Systems: OBOGS (Rafale C) |
| Ducommun LaBarge Technologies | Analysis | Warning Systems/Equipment: Master caution and warning assemblies |
| L'Hotellier | Analysis | Fire Fighting/Detection Systems: Fire detection and extinction system (Rafale C) |
| MBDA UK | Analysis | Warning Systems/Equipment: DDM-NG missile warning system for SPECTRA (Rafale C) |
| MBDA UK | Analysis | Weapons Countermeasures: ECM suite (Rafale C) |
| Thales Airborne Systems | Analysis | Surveillance/Air Defense Radar: RBE-2 look-down/shot-down radar and active electronically scanned array radar (Rafale C) |
| Thales North America Inc. | Analysis | Electronic Warfare Systems: SPECTRA integrated electronic warfare system operating in electromagnetic, laser and infra-red domains (Rafale C/M) |
| Thales AVS France | Analysis | Radio Communications Equipment: V/UHF and TRA 6032 Saturn UHF radio (Rafale C); Radar Transponders: SB25A transponder/interrogator (Rafale C) |
| Moog Controls (UK) | Analysis | Automatic Flight Control Systems: Primary flight controls |
| Thales AVS France | Analysis | Autopilots: ; Avionics Management Systems: ; Cockpit Control Systems: |
| Thales Optronics (Bury St Edmunds) Limited | Analysis | Airborne Reconnaissance Infrared: Front sector optronic system (Rafale C) |
| Safran Electronics & Defense (Components) | Analysis | Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMD): GERFAUT helmet-mounted display & sight for French Air Force, discontinued by 2007 (Rafale C) |
| Thales Avionics | Analysis | LCD Displays: Multifunctional displays; Head-Up Displays: CTH3022 wide-angle, holographic HUD |
| Thales AVS France | Analysis | Radar/Radio Altimeters: AHV-17 radio altimeter (Rafale C) |
| Safran Electronics & Defense (Components) | Analysis | Inertial Components & Systems: SIGMA RL90 ring-laser gyro inertial navigation system (with GPS hybridisation) |
| Safran Power Units | Analysis | Auxiliary Power Units: Rubis 305 APU (Rafale C) |
| ECE | Analysis | Power Distribution Equipment: Power electrical distribution boxes; power contactors |
| Safran Electrical & Power (was Thales Avionics Electrical Systems) | Analysis | Alternators: Auxilec electrical system with two 30/40 kVA Auxilec alternators (Rafale C) |
| Aerotech Herman Nelson, Inc. | Analysis | Engine Preheaters: Portable heaters |
| LISI Aerospace | Analysis | Engine Parts: |
| MAP Mecanique Aeronautique Pyreneenne | Analysis | Engine Housings: Cowling |
| TITAL GmbH | Analysis | News | Engine Parts: Titanium components for M88 engine |
| Safran Aircraft Engines | Analysis | News | Turbofan Engines: (M88 - Dassault Rafale B - M88-4E; Dassault Rafale C - M88-4E; Dassault Rafale M - M88-4E ) |
| Donaldson Aerospace Europe | Analysis | Fuel Filters: |
| Ruag Aerostructures - Ruag Aerospace Structures GmbH | Analysis | Fuel Tanks & Systems: Under wing fuel tanks |
| Safran Transmission Systems | Analysis | Mechanical Transmissions: Engine power transmissions and hydromechanics |
| Komax Laselec SA | Analysis | Marking Equipment: Cable & wire laser marking equipment |
| Le Creneau Industriel | Analysis | Machine Tools: CNC machine tools |
| Omega Technologies, Inc. | Analysis | Insertion/Removal Tools: Fastener installation & removal tools; hole drilling & preparation tools |
| Spherea Test & Services | Analysis | News | Automated Test Equipment: Automatic test equipment & ground test system |
