Funds Constraint Stalls F5 Upgrade of Marine Rafale

France has postponed plans to upgrade current aircraft carrier-based versions of the Dassault Rafale  fighters to the F5 standard due to funding constraint.

This is attributed to the cancellation of funding by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which pulled out from funding the F5 standard across the air force and naval versions. The upgrade is likely to occur only by 2035 and not 2029 as planned earlier, provided France is able to get the funding from its own sources.

According to the plan of Dassault Aviation and the French MoD, the sixth production tranche of aircraft in 2029 will allow to upgrade a third of the naval fleet. The machines should meet the F5 standard, which opens up new possibilities for the use of aircraft.

However, the latest budget reports indicate that the military leadership's plans have been adjusted due to changing state priorities.

The F5 standard will transform the aircraft into a digital platform. It will work closely with unmanned drones and new intelligence systems. Delays in these technologies will mean that French Navy will behind its peers such as the U.S. and China.

French lawmakers have promised to review the funding only after the critical stages of the F5 standard's development are complete, according to Opex360.com

Negotiations between France and the UAE broke down in December 2025 after Paris proposed that Abu Dhabi invest in the program without the participation of local companies and access to technology. The UAE was expected to contribute up to 3.5 billion euros to the program, out of a total cost 5 billion euros.

Rafale F5

The F5 standard should receive a Thales RBE2 XG gallium nitride radar, an updated SPECTRA electronic warfare complex, new optoelectronic sensors, conformal fuel tanks, and a Safran M88 T-REX engine, which should provide a 20% increase in afterburner thrust.

The upgrade also included the integration of the UCAS surveillance drone. However, according to Dassault CEO Eric Trappier, it has not yet been officially launched. Against this background, the loss of the potential contribution of the UAE makes it even more difficult to find financing for the entire package of projects.