{"id":26291324,"date":"2026-10-03T10:37:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T08:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/rafale-loyal-wingman-hypairion-france-2028-mirage-2000-ai-testbed\/"},"modified":"2026-10-03T10:37:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T08:37:46","slug":"rafale-loyal-wingman-hypairion-france-2028-mirage-2000-ai-testbed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/rafale-loyal-wingman-hypairion-france-2028-mirage-2000-ai-testbed\/","title":{"rendered":"Rafale Loyal Wingman: France Plans First Crewed-Uncrewed Flight in 2028"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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In 2028 the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/french-air-and-space-force\/\">French Air and Space Force<\/a> plans to fly a <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/rafale\/\">Rafale<\/a> together with an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft, a so-called loyal wingman, in a first crewed-uncrewed test flight.<\/p>\n<p>The plan was laid out at a briefing in Paris this week by the Air Force, the DGA armament agency and Amiad, the French ministry's agency for defence artificial intelligence. The umbrella project has a suitably Gallic name: Hypairion.<\/p>\n<p>Its real subject is not a drone at all. It is who owns the brains of French combat aircraft.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Project:<\/strong> Hypairion (French Air and Space Force, DGA, Amiad)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>First crewed-uncrewed flight:<\/strong> Planned for 2028, with a Rafale<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>AI testbeds:<\/strong> Two Mirage 2000s being modified at Mont-de-Marsan; Aviation Week reports they are Mirage 2000Ds<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Wingman requirement (DGA, June RFI):<\/strong> Up to 500 kg payload, combat radius over 1,000 km, speed above Mach 0.8, per Aviation Week<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Rafale F5:<\/strong> First version targeted for 2033, per Defense News; CCA capability expected in the late 2030s, per Aviation Week<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Announced:<\/strong> Briefing in Paris, reported 2 October 2026<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Two old Mirages become flying laboratories<\/h2>\n<p>The hardware side of Hypairion starts with two <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/mirage-2000\/\">Mirage 2000<\/a> fighters at <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-bases\/ba-118-mont-de-marsan\/\">Mont-de-Marsan<\/a>, home of the Air Force's fighter test and evaluation squadron. Aviation Week reports that the pair are Mirage 2000Ds and that the conversion work starts at the end of 2026.<\/p>\n<p>They will carry the artificial intelligence that France wants to test before it goes anywhere near a frontline jet: algorithms to help detect targets, assist the pilot and eventually work with uncrewed aircraft.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/mirage-2000d-ece-01-030-mont-de-marsan-tiger.jpg\" alt=\"Mirage 2000D of test squadron ECE 01.030 at Mont-de-Marsan in tiger markings\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A Mirage 2000D of the test and evaluation squadron ECE 01.030, based at Mont-de-Marsan, in NATO Tiger Meet markings in 2016. It is not one of the Hypairion testbeds. Photo: Alan Wilson \/ CC BY-SA 2.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p>Dassault has already flown two sovereign AI algorithms on a Rafale, in September 2026, according to Aviation Week. An AI function for the Thales Talios targeting pod is expected in 2027.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Open, modular, French-owned<\/h2>\n<p>The officers who briefed the press, identified only by rank and first name as is French military practice, were blunt about the goal. They want open, modular avionics that the state controls, rather than closed systems in which a manufacturer holds the keys to every sensor and weapon.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;What Hypairion is really about is equipping the Air Force and our platforms with architectures that are open, modular and owned by the government.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Col. C\u00e9dric<\/strong> &mdash; French Air and Space Force capability-development office, quoted by Defense News<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>That matters for the Rafale F5, the next major upgrade of France's fighter, which Defense News says is targeted for a first version in 2033. A government-owned architecture means new AI functions, new sensors and new drones can be added without renegotiating the whole aircraft each time.<\/p>\n<p>Col. Thibault, deputy director of Amiad, put the sovereignty point even more directly: the aim is for the French state to retain control of the overall architecture.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What the wingman must do<\/h2>\n<p>The DGA issued a request for information in June for the uncrewed aircraft itself. According to Aviation Week, it asks for a multirole platform able to carry up to 500 kg, with a combat radius of more than 1,000 km and a speed above Mach 0.8.<\/p>\n<p>The 2028 flight will be a test of the concept rather than the final wingman. Toulouse start-up Aura Aero has said it aims to fly a CCA demonstrator the same year. France also has history here: Dassault flew its nEUROn stealth drone demonstrator in formation with a Rafale and a Falcon 7X business jet in March 2014, as the video below shows.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #d32f2f;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;The decision to deploy weapons remains a human one, and AI can make mistakes.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Col. C\u00e9dric<\/strong> &mdash; French Air and Space Force, quoted by Defense News<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>France is not alone. The US Air Force is already flying its first collaborative combat aircraft prototypes, and several European manufacturers have unveiled their own designs. What sets the French approach apart is how loudly it insists that the code, not just the airframe, has to be French.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BHW1caZ9C6w\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<p><em>Sources: Defense News, Aviation Week, Business Standard, Dassault Aviation<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What is France's Hypairion project?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Hypairion is a French Air and Space Force initiative, run with the DGA armament agency and the defence AI agency Amiad, to bring artificial intelligence and open, government-owned avionics architectures to French combat aircraft. It includes AI testbeds on two Mirage 2000s and a planned first flight of a Rafale with an uncrewed wingman in 2028.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When will the Rafale fly with a loyal wingman?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The French Air and Space Force plans a first crewed-uncrewed collaborative flight test, pairing a Rafale with an uncrewed combat aircraft, in 2028. Aviation Week reports that an operational collaborative combat aircraft capability is expected with the Rafale F5 upgrade in the late 2030s.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which aircraft are being used as AI testbeds?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Two Mirage 2000 fighters at Mont-de-Marsan air base are being modified as AI testbeds, with work starting at the end of 2026. Aviation Week identifies them as Mirage 2000Ds.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What does France want from its combat drone?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">According to Aviation Week, the DGA's June 2026 request for information asks for a multirole uncrewed aircraft carrying up to 500 kg, with a combat radius of more than 1,000 km and a speed above Mach 0.8.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Will AI decide when French drones fire weapons?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">No. French officers briefing on Hypairion said the decision to use weapons remains a human one. They stressed that AI can make mistakes and is intended to assist pilots, not replace their judgement.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When is the Rafale F5 due?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Defense News reports that the first version of the Rafale F5 standard is targeted for 2033. It is meant to be a major mid-life overhaul with more open avionics, better data handling and, later, the ability to work with uncrewed wingmen.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is France's Hypairion project?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Hypairion is a French Air and Space Force initiative, run with the DGA armament agency and the defence AI agency Amiad, to bring artificial intelligence and open, government-owned avionics architectures to French combat aircraft. 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It is meant to be a major mid-life overhaul with more open avionics, better data handling and, later, the ability to work with uncrewed wingmen.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/rafale-ukraine-france-training-ukrainian-pilots-haddad-2026\/\">Rafale for Ukraine: France Starts Training Ukrainian Pilots<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/loyal-wingman-cca-drones-farnborough-2026-explained\/\">Every Robot Wingman Unveiled This Week<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airbus-u760-ravenstorm-loyal-wingman-ila-berlin\/\">Ravenstorm: Airbus Enters the Robot-Wingman Race<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/autonomous-warfare-command-autowarcom-hegseth-four-star-drone-command-2026\/\">Autonomous Warfare Command: Pentagon Creates a Four-Star Drone Command<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>France will fly a Rafale with an uncrewed wingman in 2028 under the Hypairion project, with two Mirage 2000s becoming AI testbeds at Mont-de-Marsan.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":26291281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26291324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Rafale Loyal Wingman: France Targets 2028 First Flight | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"France plans to fly a Rafale with a loyal wingman drone in 2028. 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