Rafale is a powerful French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft

The Dassault Rafale is a powerful French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation.It is called an "omnirole" fighter by its manufacturer.

Introduced in the year 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy. It has also been marketed for export to several countries.

The Great Rafale features a delta wing combined with active integrated (close-coupled) canard to maximize maneuverability, while withstanding 9 g or −3.6 g  and maintaining stability in flight.

The canard also reduces landing speed to 115 knots (213 km/h; 132 mph). According to internal sources (Les essais en vol du Rafale) low speed limit is 100 knots (190 km/h; 120 mph), but 80 knots (150 km/h; 92 mph) is sometimes demonstrated during airshows by pilots willing to showcase "low speed qualities of the aircraft".

"A minimum of 15 kt have been reached during simulated combat vs a Mirage 2000 by an aggressive pilot." The aircraft can operate from 400-metre (1,300 ft) runways.

Although not a full-aspect stealth aircraft, the Rafale was designed for a reduced radar cross-section. 

To reduce the radar profile, extensive use of composite materials and serrated patterns on the trailing edges of the wings and canards have been incorperated on the Rafale

In the late 1970s, the French Air Force and Navy were seeking replacements for its aircraft. To save development costs, France agreed with four other nations to produce an air dominance fighter, but subsequent disagreements led to a split. 

To satisfy stringent criteria formulated by the Ministry of Defense, Dassault built a technology demonstrator to prove the viability of its new product. 

Further development led to the current Rafale variants, which embody innovative avionics and aerodynamics, optimised for air supremacy operations.