France has begun training Ukrainian pilots on the Rafale

France has begun training the first Ukrainian military pilots to fly Rafale fighter jets. The training is taking place amid negotiations between Paris and Kyiv regarding the possible transfer of these aircraft to Ukraine.

This was announced by Benjamin Addad, Minister Delegate for European Affairs. According to him, France has already launched a training program for Ukrainian pilots.

 The training consists of several stages: first, the pilots will learn to fly Grob G-120TP light training aircraft, then move on to Dornier Alpha Jet jets, and after that, they will proceed to training on the Rafale.

According to available information, Ukraine may receive the first four fighter jets upon completion of the training course. In July, France and Ukraine announced a “roadmap” that calls for the purchase of 16 Rafale jets and their armaments.

At the same time, the final delivery dates and terms remain uncertain. The parties have not yet signed a binding contract, and the previously announced timeline for the first Rafales to appear in Ukrainian skies in 2028–2029 will depend, in particular, on Dassault Aviation’s production capacity and the financing of the deal.

Source: Le Parisien

The French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation has conducted flight tests of two artificial intelligence algorithms on the Rafale fighter jet. These technologies could eventually be used to improve the aircraft’s onboard systems.

It was previously reported that the French Rafale fighter jet will be equipped with combat artificial intelligence from Harmattan AI. This AI will also be used on Ukrainian Raybird drones manufactured by Skyeton, ensuring system compatibility and increasing operational efficiency.