French DGA takes delivery of Rafale C137 aircraft
Dassault Aviation and Thales have announced that the the French defence procurement agency (DGA) has officially taken delivery of the Rafale C137, the first production Rafale equipped with the Thales RBE2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. The delivery took place at Dassault Aviation's Mérignac establishment near Bordeaux.
The Rafale is the first European combat aircraft in operational service equipped with the Thales RBE2 AESA radar. The radar is designed to bring a number of key operational benefits, including extended range capabilities supporting low-observable target detection and full use of new weapon systems such as the Meteor air-to-air missile; higher reliability for reduced maintenance and lower through-life support costs; greater waveform agility for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging and improved resistance to jamming.
According to Dassault Aviation and Thales, the project was completed on time and on budget, and ‘owes its success to exemplary cooperation with the DGA and all the companies involved in the RBE2 AESA programme’.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Amazon Project Kuiper emphasises user-friendly solutions for multi-domain connectivity (Studio)]()
Amazon Project Kuiper emphasises user-friendly solutions for multi-domain connectivity (Studio)
At DSEI 2025, Shephard's Alix Valenti spoke to Project Kuiper's Rich Pang about the importance of enabling seamless communication between allied forces such as NATO members in challenging operational environments.
-
![Amazon Project Kuiper teams up with GRC to offer governments unprecedented capabilities (Studio)]()
Amazon Project Kuiper teams up with GRC to offer governments unprecedented capabilities (Studio)
At DSEI 2025, Amazon Project Kuiper's Don Brown and GRC's Steve Slater talked to Shephard's Alix Valenti about how their partnership can offer unique capabilities in defence SATCOM to government customers, with a focus on assurance, security and choice.
-
![DSEI 2025: Raytheon UK CEO highlights RTX skills, innovation and UK footprint]()
DSEI 2025: Raytheon UK CEO highlights RTX skills, innovation and UK footprint
At DSEI 2025, James Gray, Managing Director and CEO of Raytheon UK (part of RTX), outlines the company’s century-long presence in the UK and its evolving role across defence, aerospace, cyber, and training domains.
-
![Israel defence ministry pushes ambitious spending plans for tanks, drones and KC-46 aircraft]()
Israel defence ministry pushes ambitious spending plans for tanks, drones and KC-46 aircraft
The procurement and acceleration production plans – some of which still await approval – across the air and land domains will aim to strengthen the operational needs of the Israel Defense Forces.
-
![US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities]()
US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities
This shift is planned to accelerate the procurement and fielding of capabilities. As part of this strategy, the US also intends modernise its regulations in an attempt to change its bureaucratic and risk-averse culture.
