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France Dassault Aviation
Rafale M
Carrier-capable variant of France's Rafale omnirole fighter, strengthened for catapult launch and arrested recovery aboard the carrier Charles de Gaulle. Shares most avionics and weapons integration with the land-based Rafale C/B and has been selected by India's navy.
In service since 2001 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,912
km/h
3,700
km range
15,235
m ceiling
9,500
kg payload
0.98
T/W
💲 ≈ $115,000,000, Approximate export flyaway cost, Rafale M
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 2001. Status: active · ~45 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$288M – $403M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Rafale M can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The Rafale M's engine has its own full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 1,912 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.8 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 3,700 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,055 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,235 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 0.98 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 1x 30 mm GIAT 30/M791 cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 13 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 9,500 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | Spectra integrated EW/self-protection suite, chaff, flares |
|---|---|
| Signature reduction Radar cross-section shaping, RAM coatings, IR suppression. Actual RCS values are classified. | Reduced radar cross-section shaping and composite structure |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 15.27 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 10.9 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 5.34 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 10,600 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 21,500 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x Safran M88-2 afterburning turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 75 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 4,700 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Thales RBE2 AESA |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | OSF front-sector optronics, Spectra EW suite |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Link 16 |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $115,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 45 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 2 |
Specifications compiled from public Dassault Aviation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Dassault Aviation Rafale M? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M has a maximum speed of 1,912 km/h.
What is the range of the Dassault Aviation Rafale M? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M has a maximum range of 3,700 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Dassault Aviation Rafale M? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M can carry up to 9,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Dassault Aviation Rafale M weigh? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M has a combat weight of 21,500 kg.
How many crew does the Dassault Aviation Rafale M require? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Dassault Aviation Rafale M? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M's primary weapon is the 1x 30 mm GIAT 30/M791 cannon.
What engine does the Dassault Aviation Rafale M use? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M is powered by the 2x Safran M88-2 afterburning turbofans.
What is the Dassault Aviation Rafale M used for? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority, multirole combat, deep strike, isr.
How many countries operate the Dassault Aviation Rafale M? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the Dassault Aviation Rafale M cost? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale M has an approximate unit cost of 115,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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