France has once again emerged as the second-largest exporter of weapons in the world behind the United States. To expand its exports further, Paris is expanding the production of its starfighter jet—the Dassault Rafale—and pushing to key partners.
France became the second-largest arms exporter, beating Russia, according to a recent report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Sweden-based independent international institute that monitors global arms purchases. The French arms exports rose by 47% between 2014–18 and 2019–23.
“The largest share of France’s arms exports (42 per cent) went to states in Asia and Oceania, and another 34 per cent went to Middle Eastern states. The largest single recipient of French arms exports was India, which accounted for nearly 30 per cent,” states the SIPRI report.
“France is using the opportunity of strong global demand to boost its arms industry through exports,” said Katarina Djokic, a researcher at SIPRI. “France has been particularly successful in selling its combat aircraft outside Europe.”
Notably, the report attributed the sharp increase to combat aircraft deliveries to Egypt, Qatar, and India, all of which have purchased Dassault Aviation’s Rafale aircraft.
The Dassault Rafale, which has been the mainstay of France’s military arsenal for more than twenty years, has become a highly coveted asset. While it initially failed to take off in the export market, it has now become an export champion.
In addition to the French Air and Space Forces, the aircraft has been purchased by the air forces of eight countries including Egypt, India, Qatar, the UAE, Greece, Croatia, Indonesia, and Serbia. Of these, the UAE placed the largest order for 80 fighters, in 2021. The surge in sales has been noteworthy and has kept the production lines busy.
The Massive Surge In Rafale Sales
Recently, Dassault Aviation reported an increase in its full-year sales of the Rafale. The surge was linked to rising geopolitical tensions, which has inadvertently led to a significant hike in global defense spending.
The aircraft manufacturer said that it is experiencing a surge in demand, mostly due to Russia’s involvement in the war in Ukraine and the EU’s insecurities about continued US military assistance.
Earlier this month, the US suspended military assistance to Kyiv, deepening the EU’s insecurities. Though military aid to Ukraine has now been restored after Ukrainian leadership agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, rising tensions across the transatlantic and mistrust between the US and the European Union have triggered a massive jump in defense spending.
The aircraft manufacturer said it anticipates delivering 25 Rafale and 40 Falcon aircraft in 2025, generating about 6.5 billion euros (US$7.1 billion) in revenue annually. These estimates do not factor in the impact of US tariffs and European countermeasures.
Last year, Dassault reported receiving 10.87 billion euros (US$11.87 billion) in orders, which included previously announced orders for 26 Falcon business jets and 30 Rafale warplanes intended for foreign markets.
After securing big orders, many of which are still in the pipeline, Dassault is looking to sell more of its fighter jets and further drive up the French export quotient. Saudi Arabia has reportedly been mulling the purchase of 54 Rafale fighter jets after being snubbed by the US for the purchase of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.
Dassault CEO Eric Trappier said last week that preliminary discussions are underway to sell the Rafale to Saudi Arabia, but the decision will depend on political decisions and the country’s assessment of the aircraft. If the country goes ahead with the purchase, it would become the third country in the Middle Eastern region to operate the aircraft.
In addition, India is inching closer to signing a deal for the Marine variant of Rafale fighter jets for carrier operations. According to reports in the Indian media, the deal will be signed in a couple of months, and the first of the 26 Rafale-M aircraft will be delivered by 2029.
Several other countries, including Colombia, Morocco, and Iraq, have also recently shown interest in Rafale. Dassault will likely continue discussions with potential customers to sign contracts, perhaps for the more advanced F4 and F5 variants.
The French aerospace giant will pitch the aircraft to more overseas customers looking to bolster their fleet, albeit without the restrictions attached with American fighter jets and uncertainties associated with Russian fighters.
As it seeks to boost exports, Dassault is also looking to expand aircraft production.
Dassault Works To Increase Rafale Production
Dassault Aviation announced that it is increasing Rafale production in the face of persistent supply chain problems triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. These problems have led to production delays and a backlog in deliveries.
In January 2025, Dassault confirmed delivery of 21 Rafale multirole fighters in 2024, up from 13 in 2023. As of December 31, 2024, Dassault had 220 Rafale orders (164 export, 56 France) in its backlog, up from 211 units a year ago in 2023.
However, Dassault is relentlessly making efforts to offset the production delays. CEO Eric Trappier recently told a press conference that the company is searching for new suppliers to compensate for those having trouble delivering components. It anticipates that supply chain bottlenecks will ease in 2026.
Dassault produced roughly one Rafale every month in 2023, two every month in 2024, and is looking to further expand that number in 2025. It intends to increase the number of Rafale fighters it produces to four or five by 2026, according to a recent statement from French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
The increase in production comes amid a surge in domestic demand for the aircraft. In January 2024, France ordered 42 Rafale F4 aircraft for €5 billion (US$5.46 billion), with delivery anticipated to begin in 2027.
In addition, Lecornu informed Parliament in February 2025 that the French Air Force needs at least 30 additional aircraft to combat new threats. Thus, it is imperative to increase production to honor export commitments, and to bolster the French air power amid rising threats in all theatres.
According to some reports, Dassault is also considering establishing assembly lines for the final assembly of the F5 variant of the Rafale. As recently reported by the EurAsian Times, Dassault is currently working on the Rafale F5, which will have more powerful engines, a massive loyal wingman, and a nuclear-armed hypersonic missile, among other things. The induction of the Rafale F5 into service is anticipated by 2030.
