Paris to supply latest Rafale jets to Ukraine with licensed missile production
France is transferring its newest fighter aircraft to Ukraine and greenlighting domestic production of key missiles, marking a major escalation in European military support.
France will supply Ukraine with its most modern fighter aircraft, the Rafale, alongside an agreement for licensed domestic production of SCALP missiles and AASM bombs by the end of the year.
The first four of 16 agreed Rafale jets will arrive soon. These are F4-series aircraft, a version the French air force only began introducing in 2023. They will come equipped with advanced armaments, including AASM precision-guided bombs, MICA air-to-air missiles, and Meteor missiles with a combat range exceeding 200 kilometres.
A joint memorandum by the French and Ukrainian presidents dated 14 July confirmed that pilot and mechanic training will begin this year. While discussions in 2025 about a potential 100-jet purchase pointed to deliveries starting in 2028 or 2029, the latest wording suggests the aircraft could see combat as early as next year if the war continues.
The agreement to produce SCALP missiles—the French equivalent of the Storm Shadow—and AASM bombs under license represents a significant expansion of Ukraine's domestic defence industrial base. For France's defence sector, this secures long-term industrial cooperation and validates the Rafale platform in active combat against advanced Russian air defences.
Until Sweden delivers the more modern Gripen E/F models at the end of the decade, the Rafale will be the most capable Western fighter in Ukraine's inventory. The arrival of these jets, alongside the Swedish Gripen and American F-16s, supports Kyiv's broader strategy to completely phase out old ex-Soviet equipment like the MiG-29 and Su-27. However, the small initial fleet of four aircraft means they will not dominate the skies, even with an AESA-class radar that matches or exceeds Russian capabilities in practice.
The deployment carries inherent risks. As the 2025 conflict between India and Pakistan demonstrated, even advanced Rafales can be lost if deployed with flawed intelligence or used recklessly. India lost at least one Rafale after pilots were incorrectly informed that opposing Chinese PL-15 missiles had a 150 km range, rather than their actual 200 km reach, creating a false sense of security.
