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The purpose of the Rafale program is to provide the French Air Force and Navy with a multi-role, aircraft capable of covering a broad range of missions (air superiority and art defence, ground support, reconnaissance) under all weather conditions by day and by night, with current and future weapon systems. It is in itself a unique weapon as the first aircraft ever designed from the outset to operate either from a land base or from an aircraft carrier. This is why there is approaching 80 % structural commonality between the land and navy versions, and almost 100 % for the weapon systems.

In the long run, the Rafale will replace seven types of aircraft: Mirage IV, Jaguar, Mirage F1, Mirage 2000, Crusader, Etendard IVP, and Super-Etendard. The versions of the Rafale are the Navy’s single-seat M, and the Air Force’s two-seat B and single-seat C.

The Rafale program complies with the set objectives set in terms of performance, schedule and costs. To date, 120 production aircraft have been ordered out of a requirement of 294 aircraft for both services (234 for French air Force and 60 for the French Navy).

Since June 2004, 10 Rafale M are operational.