Rafale F4

French twin-engine omnirole fighter built in carrier (M), single-seat (C) and two-seat (B) variants, flying air, land and naval strike missions from a single common airframe. The F4 standard adds enhanced connectivity, AI-assisted sensor fusion and new weapons integration.

Max speed

1,912 km/h

Range

3,700 km

Payload

9,500 kg

💲 Approximate export flyaway unit cost

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

0th pct in class
Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.: 1.8 Mach

8th pct in class
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

67th pct in class
Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range.: 1,850 km

83th pct in class
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.: 15,235 m

8th pct in class
Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.: 305 m/s

71th pct in class
Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up.: 0.99

17th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 30 mm GIAT 30/M791 revolver cannon
Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.: 14

92th pct in class
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.: 9,500 kg

67th pct in class

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: SPECTRA integrated EW suite, chaff, flares
Signature reduction Radar cross-section shaping, RAM coatings, IR suppression. Actual RCS values are classified.: Reduced radar cross-section shaping and radar-absorbent materials on leading edges

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.: 24,500 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

0th pct in class
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/self-protection suite, Talios targeting pod
Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.: Link 16, intra-flight datalink

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

18th pct in class
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 280

58th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 8

67th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public Dassault Aviation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 has a maximum speed of 1,912 km/h.

What is the range of the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 has a maximum range of 3,700 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 can carry up to 9,500 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 weigh? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 has a combat weight of 24,500 kg.

How many crew does the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 require? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 requires a crew of 1.

What is the main armament of the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4's primary weapon is the 30 mm GIAT 30/M791 revolver cannon.

What engine does the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 use? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 is powered by the 2x Safran M88-2 afterburning turbofans.

What is the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 used for? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 is a fighter aircraft typically used for multirole combat, air superiority, deep strike, close air support.

How many countries operate the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 is operated by 8 countries.

How much does the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 cost? +

The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 has an approximate unit cost of 115,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.