Program renamed: the NGF (Next Generation Fighter) demonstrator is now referred to as the ACF (Avion de Combat Futur - Future Combat Aircraft).

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https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/air-defense/super-rafale-nouveau-scaf-national-ia-de-combat-larmee-de-lair-veut-passer-a-vitesse-mach-2-2256228

The new version of the Rafale will be launched in December, ahead of the 2027 kickoff for the French version of the FCAS (Future Combat Air System). In parallel, the Air Force is launching an AI initiative for collaborative combat flight known as HypAIRion. However, everything largely hinges on the budget vote.

Two Air Force Rafales. The year 2027 will mark the start of the phase leading to the maiden flight of its successor the future combat aircraft, or ACF.

It has been almost four months to the day. Since the collapse of the FCAS, their future combat aircraft—the paths taken by Paris and Berlin have definitively diverged: while Chancellor Friedrich Merz is being courted in London by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to join the rival GCAP project (led by Japan and Italy), Paris is accelerating at Mach 2 along its own national flight path.

Ultimately, however, the resources approved under the 2027 finance bill will set the pace, depending on the allocated funding. In December, the Ministry of the Armed Forces is set to officially launch the development phase for the F5 a brand-new Rafale variant packed with AI, advanced optronics, a new engine, and a hypersonic missile capable of delivering next-generation nuclear deterrence.

Three years to seal the future of the F5

An F5 "Super Rafale" that will serve as the cornerstone for its successor. It is no longer referred to as the "NGF" (New Generation Fighter), the name used for the joint version with the Germans, but rather as the "ACF" (*avion de combat du futur*, or "future combat aircraft") in its French iteration; however, it will need to be renamed again by 2040, stated Jérôme Bellanger, Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force, on the sidelines of the air forces' major annual gathering in Évreux on Thursday.

The phase leading to the maiden flight of the ACF prototype will kick off in 2027. Two years later, in 2029, the operational version will be under development. In short, the future of the Rafale F4's successor will largely be determined within a three-year span.

Dassault has already simulated a firing run with an "Harmattan AI" drone and flight-tested two AI algorithms aboard a Rafale to prepare for the next steps. Meanwhile, the air forces are actively working on the HypAIRion project to transition toward collaborative combat.

At the Mont-de-Marsan airbase, two Mirage 2000s have been converted into AI testbeds through the addition of a third onboard computer. The goal is to achieve a first flight involving a Rafale paired with a drone in 2028. Facing dynamic threats moving at speeds exceeding Mach 1 (the speed of sound), HypAIRion aims to vastly enhance pilots' in-flight capabilities specifically regarding radar detection, onboard calculations, and firing operations synchronized with third-party platforms that will force the enemy to reveal their position. "The one who gains the upper hand is the one who detects, understands, decides, and acts faster than their adversary," emphasized Colonel Cédric, head of the Air Force Staff's capability development office, for whom AI must "transform the abundance of data into an operational advantage." Equipment must evolve at the pace of the threat—much like the Russian Geran drone, which is already on its fifth version thanks to open and modular architectures. The project will be open to all industrial expertise in AI and drones for competitive bidding.

At least 230 Rafales by 2035

Regarding the budget, provided the bill passes, the plan to accelerate the fighter aircraft roadmap appears to be finalized. Next year, the Rafale F5 program will be eligible for a maximum total order value of €3 billion, with projected outlays of nearly €628 million over the same period. Similarly, some €2.7 billion in commitment authorizations have been set for the ACF, its successor, with potential outlays capped at €570 million.

“I have only one word : speed, if we want to remain ready for operations.”
Jérôme Bellanger, Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force

"It was decided to launch work on the critical path at the national level starting in July 2026 to safeguard the initial schedule," Minister Catherine Vautrin insisted before the National Assembly. "We haven't lost any money [on the SCAF project]." Funds have already been reallocated to new engine technology (the Turenne 2 program) and the architecture of the future combat aircraft (Dalton 2). Nevertheless, Paris remains open to partner funding, given current budgetary constraints and the uncertainties surrounding the vote in the National Assembly and the Senate.

But while lawmakers prepare to lock horns once again over the finance bill, General Jérôme Bellanger is demanding speed and the necessary resources on the operational front. "I have only one word: speed if we want to remain ready for operations," he emphasized in Évreux. "In Eastern Europe, the war of drones and missiles has only intensified."

230 aircraft needed

By the end of this summer, the Russians had launched 50,000 attack drones a figure equal to the total projected for the entire year of 2025. Russia remains capable of producing around 2,000 missiles annually, despite Western sanctions and Ukrainian strikes. Along the eastern border, Rafale fighter jets deployed to Lithuania as part of NATO's air policing mission have regularly intercepted and escorted Russian aircraft. They have also seen heavy deployment in the Middle East.

To fulfill the Air Force's two missions protecting national airspace and maintaining the airborne nuclear deterrent while ensuring the ability to handle simultaneous engagements, "I am overusing fighter jets by more than 15%," the Chief of Staff stated. "But overusing the fleet will no longer suffice in the future; it is therefore crucial to properly calibrate the scale of the fighter fleet in the next military programming law," he argued. This implies a fleet of at least 230 aircraft by 2035 at least five more than originally planned, and up from just 170 today.

Two New Air Force Squadrons

The Air Force is establishing new squadrons based at Cazaux. "To strike the enemy on their own turf today, we must consider saturating their air defenses using low-cost bomber drones and electronic warfare capabilities, such as offensive jamming," General Jérôme Bellanger stated on Thursday.

A squadron dedicated to bomber and reconnaissance drones equipped with loitering munitions will be launched by the end of the year. The projected capacity is in the hundreds of units. Manufacturers such as MBDA and Turgis & Gaillard which is developing the Chorus drone alongside automaker Renault are among those being mentioned.

Another squadron, focused on the very high altitudes traversed by ballistic missiles and intelligence-gathering balloons, is currently ramping up capabilities. It may be equipped with Airbus’s Zéphyr balloon, Thales’s Stratobus, or Héméria’s BalMan, in addition to utilizing the Nostradamus over-the-horizon radar developed for the Ministry of the Armed Forces by Onera.

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France is going solo on its next-gen fighter — launching the “Super Rafale” F5 in December and a national ACF prototype from 2027.

Four months after the Franco-German FCAS collapsed, Paris and Berlin have fully diverged.

Merz is being courted by UK PM Burnham to join the British-Japanese-Italian GCAP program, while France accelerates alone.

The F5 Rafale will feature AI integration, new optronics, a new engine, and a hypersonic missile carrying the latest nuclear deterrent.

In parallel, the air force is launching HypAIRion, an AI-driven collaborative combat flying initiative.