French Air Force Adds Home-Grown Fighter to Its Arsenal

Posted on: Jun. 28th, 2006 || Source: | E-mail Article | Print Article

The French air force took delivery of its first batch of the Frence-made Rafale fighter planes on June 27, with the manufacturer of the long-delayed jet, Dassault Aviation, still looking for the first foreign order for the aircraft.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin attended a ceremony at an army base in Saint Dizier, northeast France, where 20 models of the Rafale were delivered.

The Rafale, which is the successor to the Mirage jet, entered service in the French navy in 2004 and 10 models are based on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, The Charles de Gaulle.

French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, who attended the ceremony, called the planes “quite exceptional” and the “most comprehensive and most high-performance” fighter jets in the world.

Read the full article

• New Global Hawk UAV model arrives at Beale
• Sixth C-17 swoops into Britain
• Air Force, Army leaders discuss new concept of operations
• RAF Typhoons now multi-role capable
• Raytheon Delivers 100th AESA Radar for Super Hornets, Growlers
• Boeing Installs Engines on 1st P-8A Poseidon
• Pilot tackles Typhoons during exchange duty in England
• Eurofighter Typhoon Begins Air Surveillance in Austria
• KC-45 Aerial Refueling Boom Completes Key Flight and Performance Milestones
• New Global Hawk UAV model scheduled to arrive at Beale
• Boeing Awarded B-52 Airborne Electronic Attack Technical Maturation Contract
• First A400M Military Transporter Rolled Out
• Thunderbirds 'Soar into Solstice' at Eielson AFB
• Boeing Statement on GAO Tanker Protest Report
• USAF formally revives B-52 jammer with five-year study