Dassault Aviation is close to finalizing an agreement with Iraq to deliver Rafale F4 fighter jets, according to available information, in a deal that could be signed soon.
If completed, Iraq would join the growing list of countries that have chosen France’s multirole Rafale in its newest configuration. Baghdad has been cited in discussions about potential Rafale fleets alongside other nations that do not yet have a fully structured combat aviation force.
The Rafale F4 is the most advanced evolution of the Dassault program currently offered for export. The version adds expanded capabilities in connectivity, electronic warfare and weapons, developments that have continued in recent years for the French armed forces and foreign customers.
Rafale export orders keep piling up
The Rafale’s international sales momentum has not slowed. Serbia signed a contract in August 2024 for 12 aircraft worth €2.7 billion (about $2.9 billion), making Belgrade one of the newest operators of the French fighter.
A potential Iraqi contract would add to that export record in a region where Dassault is trying to gain ground against U.S. and European competitors. Iraq—long an operator of Soviet-origin aircraft and later American-made planes—represents a strategic market for France’s defense industry.
Dassault’s Rafale role—and its parallel fight over Europe’s next fighter
Dassault Aviation, headquartered in Saint-Cloud outside Paris, remains the prime contractor for the Rafale program while also participating in the Future Combat Air System (known by its French acronym SCAF), a joint effort with Germany and Spain. The program’s industrial future has been marked by persistent tensions.
Discussions tied to France’s 2026 military budget referenced 90 Rafale F4 jets in the country’s national capability target, highlighting the scale of the program across domestic procurement and export deals. If the Iraqi agreement is confirmed, it would be another signal of the F4’s appeal in Middle Eastern markets.
Sources
OPEX360; Reuters; OPEX360
