France Conducts Rafale F4.3 Trials to Shape Final Standard Definition

France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has completed a major evaluation campaign to test the Rafale fighter jet in its F4.3 configuration, as part of efforts to define and qualify the upcoming standard.

Conducted at the DGA Flight Tests center in Istres, the “Rafale Readiness for Use” (RAU) campaign placed the upgraded aircraft in operational mission scenarios across air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-sea domains.

The campaign aimed to assess the current state of the F4.3 standard, particularly focusing on systems performance, connectivity, and weapons integration. Results from these trials will guide the final stages of development before qualification.

A total of seven missions were flown, simulating combat environments involving both friendly and adversary forces. These included Rafales performing the main mission roles, opposing aircraft acting as enemy threats, and support from naval and air assets such as the Chevalier Paul frigate, a Hawkeye early warning aircraft, a Mamba air defense system, and both AWACS and MRTT tankers.

The French Air and Space Force and the French Navy provided key operational support to ensure realistic testing conditions.

The campaign involved close coordination between multiple branches of the French armed forces and industry partners, including Dassault Aviation, Thales, and MBDA. The DGA collaborated with the Air and Space Force’s Military Air Expertise Center (CEAM), the Navy’s Naval Aeronautics Practical Experimentation and Reception Center (CEPA), and various test centers across its network.

According to the DGA, the large-scale assessment allows for a detailed understanding of the F4.3 system’s performance, serving as a foundation for continued development. The F4.3 standard is part of the broader Rafale upgrade path aimed at enhancing multi-domain effectiveness through improved data fusion, connectivity, and advanced munitions integration.