The aircraft were accepted during a ceremony on the 29 January and will stay at Dassault’s Flight Test Centre, with deliveries scheduled for the end of 2026.
Dassault was awarded the US$16.6 billion contract to supply 80 F4 Rafale aircraft in December 2021. The aircraft are intended to replace the Air Force’s older Dassault Mirage 2000-9 fighters and augment the rest of its fleet.
UAE Armed Forces Supreme Commander President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “The strategy of the Armed Forces focuses on the thoughtful acquisition of the latest weapons and equipment that are in line with the variables of future wars and technological and quality developments, which enhances the comprehensive combat efficiency of the country’s national defence system.”
The F4 standard, according to the French Directorate General of Armament (DGA), includes improvements to Rafale’s fire protection and avoidance system, frontal optronics, TALIOS long-range airborne targeting pod and the RBE2 electronic scanning radar.