Dassault Rafale: It Might Be the Best Non ‘Made In USA’ Fighter jet

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Key Points and Summary: France is advancing its Dassault Rafale fighter with the integration of the “nEUROn” Loyal Wingman drone, designed for multi-mission capabilities, including hypersonic strikes, ISR, electronic warfare, and combat support.

-Developed since 2003, the stealth drone aims to enhance France’s air superiority by 2033. However, the extended timeline raises concerns as global threats evolve. The French Senate has urged faster development, while Dassault is preparing for serial production.

– Alongside the Rafale F5 variant and expanded fleet, France is bolstering its defenses against perceived threats like Russia, showcasing its commitment to cutting-edge drone warfare and maintaining strategic deterrence.

France’s Dassault Rafale to Get “Loyal Wingman” Drone by 2033

France’s Dassault Rafale is probably the best fighter you have ever heard of. 

Now it is becoming even cooler. You may have read my articles that mention the “Loyal Wingman” concept in which a flight of combat and reconnaissance drones could be tethered to a fighter jet. The United States is now calling the Loyal Wingman the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). This idea has been associated with the U.S. Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter. 

France has now added its own CCA to the Dassault Rafale, and it is highly interesting.

So Many Missions, So Little Time

If all goes according to plan, pilots flying the Rafale will someday control this stealth combat drone, and it will be a force multiplier. The Loyal Wingman can fly ahead to launch hypersonic weapons, collect intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data, establish targets, execute electronic and cyber warfare, conduct bomb damage assessments, and help with combat search and rescue. 

These tasks are usually conducted by different aircraft, and the Loyal Wingman can combine so many different missions that drones should be developed.

What Is This Drone Buddy Called?

France calls this Dassault aircraft the unmanned “nEUROn” demonstrator. 

French engineers and designers have been working on the nEUROn (which has an original name you must admit) since 2003 with the maiden flight in 2012. 

This shows they have the ambition and foresight to fight 21st-century aerial battles. I’m excited for the French and their Dassault Rafale. The idea is there now; it is a matter of execution.

“This stealth combat drone will contribute to the technological and operational superiority of the French Air Force by 2033,” Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier said in a statement on X on October 8 of last year.

The Development of France’s Loyal Wingman Is Taking Too Long

The only problem with that quote is waiting years until 2033 for this tethering system to be ready. It would be nice if Dassault could speed that timeline up. The threat environment could be totally different in the next decade. NATO, for example, could disband. 

Russia and Ukraine could be divided by a DMZ. France could be involved with another insurgency in Africa. These contingencies may affect France’s grand strategy over the next decade, and military hardware such as the nEUROn will need to be developed faster.

Dassault said the Loyal Wingman will evolve with modern threats. That is a step in the right direction, but the clock is ticking, especially since nEUROn has been in the works for over 20 years. 

The French senate has determined that Dassault will begin work on the serial production phase of the nEUROn this year. However, the nine-year timeline is unsatisfactory, and Dassault will need to light a fire under its employees to deliver the “buddy” drone to the warfighter quicker.

More Rafales On the Way

Other positive developments regarding the Rafale fighter include France ordering 42 jets earlier in 2024, giving its air force 234 Rafales.

 In the coming years, an upgraded version called the “F5 standard” that can launch the future ASN4G nuclear missile is planned. These are all excellent developments for the French Air Force.

Strategic Underpinnings

France sees threats from Russia as one of the biggest drivers of its current foreign policy and military strategy. The main idea is to deter Russia and establish France as a modern nuclear power that is fearless in investing time, money, and resources in defense. The total expenditure for the nEUROn stealthy autonomous drone has yet to be revealed, but it will likely not be as expensive as the Rafale.

Nevertheless, great minds think alike when it comes to drone warfare. The United States has its CCA and now France has its own Loyal Wingman. The multi-mission aspect of drone buddies should make battle planners salivate. No one could envision how much unmanned aviation has advanced in the last 20 years when remotely-piloted vehicles like the Predator first used Hellfire missiles to knock out ground targets and eliminate terrorists. 

It is nice to have France on board with developing the Loyal Wingman and we will watch to see how long it takes for nEUROn to become a staple in the French arsenal.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.