Dassault Rafale Fighter: Why the New 'Tranche 5' Version Looks All Powerhouse

Summary and Key Points: The French Defense Procurement Agency awarded Dassault Aviation a contract for 42 Rafale fighters, set to be the latest "Tranche 5" variation.

-Alongside this acquisition, the French Air and Space Force is reactivating the 5th Fighter Wing and Fighter Squadron 1/5 "Vendée" at Orange-Caritat Air Base.

-The Rafale, developed as an "omnirole" fighter, will serve as France's prime combat aircraft until at least 2050, with the new wing expected to house 20 Rafale jets by 2030.

France Expands Rafale Fleet with New Fighter Wing

Last December, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) awarded Dassault Aviation a new contract to receive an additional 42 Rafale all-weather, multirole fighters. Though the value of the contract wasn't disclosed, it called for the three and a half dozen aircraft to be of the "Tranche 5" – the latest variation of the French-made warplanes.

Though it will be years before any of the new aircraft are delivered – especially as France has lined up numerous foreign buyers for its 4.5 generation fighter – it was announced last week that the French Armée de l'air et de l'espace (Air and Space Force) would stand up a new wing and squadron.

International military analyst firms Janes reported that is "part of a wider build-up of its Dassault Rafale combat aircraft fleet," and added that the "reactivation of the 5th Fighter Wing (FW) and Fighter Squadron 1/5 'Vendée' at Orange-Caritat Air Base (known as 115 'Captain de Seynes') in southern France will take place on 18 July."

The French military has spent 175 million ($191 million) to modernize the facilities at the base, which is located about 50 km (31 miles) north of the port city of Marseille. According to Janes, "When complete by 2030, the facility will house 2,100 personnel. The French Air and Space Force said 20 Rafale jets would be assigned to the new wing and squadron, with a further new squadron arriving after 2030."

The 5th Fighter Wing can trace its origin back to the Second World War when it was formed as the 340 (Free French) Squadron serving in the Royal Air Force. The unit earned numerous awards and citations for its service during World War II, and it later took part in combat operations during the First Indochina War in Southeast Asia. It operated the Mirage 2000 from 1997 until June 2022, when the squadron was disbanded with the retirement of the aircraft. It will now be reactivated and operate the Dassault Rafale.

France's Burst of Fire

The Dassault Rafale – which means literally "gust of wind," or "burst of fire" in a more military sense – was conceived for use by the French Air Force and Navy as an "omnirole" fighter, meaning that it would replace seven types of combat aircraft in operation at the time of its development.

It traces its origins back to the Avion de Combat Experimental (ACX) program in the early 1980s before France's withdrawal from the multinational European Fighter Aircraft (EFA) project in 1985.

It has been suggested that one reason Paris pulled out of the EFA was its requirement for a smaller and lighter combat aircraft that could operate from aircraft carriers.

The ACX originally took the form of a technology demonstrator. It was first flown in July 1986 and was later redesignated as Rafale A. It established the primary design features for the Rafale, including the aircraft’s basic aerodynamic configuration, a fly-by-wire control system, and a structure that made extensive use of composites. The Rafale was then developed to carry out a wide range of missions, including air-defense/air-superiority, anti-access/area denial, reconnaissance, close air support, dynamic targeting, air-to-ground precision strike/interdiction, anti-ship attacks, nuclear deterrence, and even buddy-buddy refueling.

The aircraft has been steadily improved, and the Rafale is slated to be the French military's prime combat aircraft until at least 2050.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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