French President Emmanuel Macron has once again made a strong case for European military independence, calling on European nations to replace U.S.-built F-35 fighter jets with France’s flagship Rafale aircraft. In a Friday post captioned, “European friends, you have a call,” Macron shared a photo of the Rafale, intensifying his campaign for European strategic autonomy.
His remarks come at a critical time, as signals from Donald Trump’s camp indicate a potential pullback from NATO obligations should he return to the White House. This uncertainty has prompted European leaders to re-evaluate their reliance on American military hardware.
“We must offer European alternatives to countries accustomed to American equipment,” Macron told French newspapers in March, highlighting the Rafale, produced by Dassault Aviation, as a viable replacement. He has argued that building a European defense base will not only reduce dependency on the United States but also create economic opportunities by scaling up domestic production.
Rafale vs F-35: Strategic Pitch Macron
France’s twin-engine multirole fighter, the Rafale, has been its primary warplane since entering service in 2001. Unlike the stealth-oriented F-35 by Lockheed Martin, the Rafale offers unmatched versatility, with capabilities for air-to-air combat, ground strikes, and reconnaissance. It boasts a top speed of Mach 1.8 and a combat radius of around 1,000 miles.
France has never invested in the F-35 program and sees the Rafale as a proven and sovereign solution. Over 200 Rafales have already been delivered to the French military and have been exported to India, Egypt, Greece, and several other countries.
The ‘Super Rafale’: A New Era in European Air Power?
France’s ambitions don’t stop with the current Rafale. The country is now developing an advanced variant—the Rafale F5 or “Super Rafale.” Designed to rival the F-35, the new model will feature cutting-edge artificial intelligence, next-generation networking, and weaponry, making it a holistic aerial combat system.
One of its most significant upgrades is its capacity to carry the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile, the successor to the ASMPA, boosting France’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
According to Meta Defense, this evolution will transform the Rafale platform into an aerial powerhouse, poised to reclaim European and possibly global dominance in air combat technology.