France could significantly expand its future commitments for the Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter, having disclosed an ambition to order more than 50 examples of the multirole type in the coming years.

Detailed in budget proposals for 2026 – which still have to be approved by the volatile French parliament – the plan would see Paris order 52 more Rafales from 2027 onwards.

This is on top of two examples budgeted for next year, which are intended as replacements for a pair of aircraft lost in accidents in 2024.

In total, France has placed orders for 234 Rafales, with Dassault holding an outstanding backlog of 53 aircraft for its domestic customer at the half-year mark.

While France has previously hinted that it would sign for another batch of around 30 Rafales for delivery beyond 2027, if realised, the new order would mark a significant expansion of that ambition.

In its most recent military planning law, covering the period from 2024-2030, France had targeted a fleet of 178 Rafales by 2030, rising to 225 in 2035. The twin-engined fighter is operated by both its air force and navy.

Prior to 2025, the nation had received 178 jets, with three more added in the first-half, according to Dassault’s figures.

France plans to take 13 deliveries in 2025, the budget documents state, followed by a single example in 2026 and 96 more Rafales in the period beyond 2027.

This would take the overall target to 288 aircraft, according to the documents. However, that figure does not represent the planned fleet size, given the previous sale of some French air force assets to export customers – Croatia and Serbia specifically – and the likely future retirement of early-build examples.

The French air force received its first Rafale in 1998, with the navy taking its first carrier-operable M variant the following year.

Additionally, the budget also includes funding for development of the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) capability for the F4-standard Rafale and “launch of development work on the main capabilities” for the subsequent F5 update.

Funding is also allocated for an additional four Airbus Defence & Space A400Ms. To be delivered in 2028 and 2029, these will raise the total French buy of the tactical transport to 41 units – a deal outlined at the Paris air show in June.

France also expects in 2026 to place its first order for a new maritime patrol aircraft based on the A321neo. Airbus was selected to progress its design earlier this year after beating a rival bid from Dassault based on its Falcon 10X business jet.

Elsewhere, the budget documents disclose that France has begun early study work on a replacement for its Airbus Tiger attack helicopters in the period beyond 2040.

This includes analysis of “the future need for air combat attack capabilities by this timeframe” and the definition of “capability architecture concepts”.

In the interim, the French army’s Tiger fleet is being upgraded to the MkIII standard in an Airbus-led project in conjunction with Spain. Deliveries are due from 2029.