Safran is developing the M88 T-REX for the Rafale F5, delivering 20% more thrust. Technologies, performance, modernization, and timeline.
Summary
Safran Aircraft Engines is preparing a major upgrade for the M88 engine powering the Rafale. Designated the M88 T-REX, this new turbofan is designed to deliver 9 metric tons of thrust with afterburner, compared to 7.5 tons currently—representing a 20% increase.
Unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2025, the program reached a new milestone in September 2026 when the French Directorate General for Armament (DGA) notified Safran of a preliminary design contract.
The performance enhancement relies on three primary modifications: a low-pressure compressor capable of ingesting greater airflow, a high-pressure turbine utilizing advanced materials and optimized cooling circuits, and a redesigned exhaust nozzle.
The objective is to preserve the Rafale’s flight performance despite the increased weight of its onboard systems and the integration of next-generation weaponry. Safran intends to maintain the dimensions and modularity of the current engine to facilitate its installation on future versions of the Rafale F5, expected around 2033.
The M88 T-REX Will Bring 20% Additional Thrust to the Rafale
On June 17, 2025, at the Paris Air Show, Safran Aircraft Engines officially introduced the M88 T-REX, a new iteration of the powerplant that has driven the Dassault Rafale since its entry into service.
The ambition is clear: increase maximum thrust from 7.5 to 9 metric tons-force per engine, equivalent to roughly 74 to 88 kN. For a twin-engine Rafale, total thrust with afterburner would increase from approximately 147 to 177 kN.
This boost is achieved without any announced changes to the engine’s external dimensions. Safran aims to retain the modular architecture of the M88-2 while upgrading several key core components.
The project cleared an institutional milestone on September 10, 2026, when the DGA confirmed it had awarded Safran a contract covering the preliminary design of the new powerplant.
This does not yet constitute an order for production engines. The program remains in development, with engine qualification scheduled to align with the Rafale F5 timeline.
The M88 Engine Is a Core Component of the Rafale
Initially developed by Snecma—now Safran Aircraft Engines—the M88 is a twin-spool, afterburning turbofan engine.
It measures 3.54 meters in length with a diameter of 696 mm, and has a dry weight of approximately 897 kg.
Its thrust reaches 50 kN without afterburner and approximately 75 kN with afterburner engaged.
Afterburning involves injecting fuel directly into the exhaust gases after they pass through the turbine stages. This secondary combustion increases gas energy and ejection velocity, but results in a significantly higher fuel consumption rate.
The M88 was engineered to combine compactness, rapid throttle response, and controlled fuel burn during regular cruise regimes.
Its architecture comprises six primary modules, which can be individually replaced during maintenance operations. This design minimizes turnaround time and facilitates successive technical upgrades.
Safran intends to preserve this characteristic on the T-REX.
The New Compressor Must Increase Airflow Volume
The first modification targets the low-pressure compressor.
In a turbofan, incoming air is compressed before entering the combustion chamber. A portion of the hot gas energy drives the turbines, which in turn power the compressors.
To increase thrust, engineers must raise the mass flow of air passing through the engine and enhance the energy transferred to the propulsive stream.
Safran is therefore designing an upgraded low-pressure compressor capable of admitting higher mass airflow.
This transformation requires optimizing internal aerodynamics, particularly blade profiles and flow dynamics across the various stages.
The challenge is to increase airflow without destabilizing the compressor or compromising performance across the entire flight envelope.
The manufacturer has not yet published the specific mass flow rates, overall pressure ratios, or target efficiency values.
The High-Pressure Turbine Must Operate at Higher Temperatures
The second upgrade focuses on the high-pressure turbine, one of the most thermally stressed sections of the engine.
Situated immediately downstream of the combustion chamber, it is exposed to extreme gas temperatures. Its turbine blades must simultaneously withstand severe thermal stress and intense centrifugal loads.
The M88 T-REX will incorporate novel materials and improved cooling circuits.
The goal is to permit higher operating temperatures while preserving component service life and durability.
The DGA and Safran are already researching these technologies through the Turenne defense program.
Research focuses on next-generation superalloys, ceramic matrix composites, and aerodynamic blade enhancements.
Testing conducted on baseline M88 engines helps evaluate how these components behave under representative operating conditions.
However, these technologies do not yet constitute a fully integrated and qualified T-REX engine.
The Optimized Nozzle Extracts Exhaust Energy More Efficiently
The third modification involves the exhaust nozzle.
This assembly accelerates exhaust gases exiting the engine and directly contributes to overall thrust generation.
Safran plans to refine its aerodynamic design to better harness available energy.
This optimization must account for diverse operating regimes, particularly when afterburning is active.
These three upgrades are mutually dependent. Simply raising airflow would prove insufficient if the turbine or exhaust nozzle imposed operational bottlenecks.
The Rafale F5 Must Maintain Performance Despite Growing Loads
The development of the T-REX directly addresses the expanding mission requirements of the modern fighter jets family.
The aircraft features a maximum takeoff weight of 24.5 tons and a theoretical external payload capacity of 9.5 tons distributed across 14 hardpoints.
Future weapon configurations for the Rafale will require integrating heavier stores and advanced weapons systems.
Notably, the Rafale F5 will carry the future ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile, scheduled for introduction around 2035.
It will also benefit from the RBE2-XG radar, the upgraded SPECTRA F5 electronic warfare suite, and advanced collaborative combat capabilities.
These improvements will increase the aircraft’s electrical, thermal, and computing demands.
Additional thrust will primarily ensure the preservation of acceleration, climb, and maneuvering margins when carrying heavy external stores.
However, it will not directly generate additional electrical power; supplying the new avionics will depend on upgraded generators and energy management systems.
Reinforced Powerplant Improves Heavy-Configuration Performance
The thrust increase could enhance several operational metrics.
A heavily loaded Rafale typically possesses a narrower thrust reserve for accelerating or gaining altitude—a limitation that becomes particularly pronounced after taking off with external fuel tanks and multiple munitions.
The T-REX is designed to recover a portion of these performance margins.
Operational benefits could also manifest at high altitudes, where air density drops, or during hot-weather deployments.
This extra power must nonetheless be harnessed without exceeding the structural load limits of the airframe.
The flight control systems will continue managing aerodynamic constraints and structural load factors automatically.
A 20% boost in thrust does not translate to a proportional increase in maximum speed, combat radius, or authorized weapon payload.
Those performance metrics will depend on aircraft configuration and flight test results.
T-REX Modularity Facilitates Upgrading Existing Rafales
Safran is committed to preserving the dimensions and primary interface connections of the current M88 to limit airframe modification requirements.
Module compatibility should simplify maintenance procedures and allow for the pooling of logistics support with legacy engines.
This approach could also make retrofitting existing Rafale fleets feasible.
However, it does not guarantee an immediate drop-in replacement without integration engineering.
Engineers must verify air intake performance, thermal tolerances, mechanical linkages, fuel feed systems, and digital engine control software.
The motor manufacturer must also demonstrate that elevated operating temperatures do not compromise reliability or overhaul intervals.
Safran aims to retain the M88’s core advantages regarding fuel efficiency and lifecycle ownership costs. Public performance data quantifying these exact metrics for the T-REX remains unreleased.
Engine Qualification Aligns with the Rafale F5 Schedule
Development leverages the joint testing infrastructure of the DGA and Safran, notably test facilities in Saclay and Istres.
In October 2026, Safran committed tens of millions of euros to modernize its test benches at Istres.
The site is slated to house four engine test cells within three years, up from a single bench currently. These investments support multiple aerospace programs, including the M88 T-REX.
Engine qualification must validate performance, endurance, extreme environmental resilience, and operational safety.
The Rafale F5 is targeted for fielding around 2033, with the gradual integration of new capabilities, culminating in the ASN4G around 2035.
The T-REX must adhere to this timeline, though neither a maiden flight date nor a final qualification schedule has been officially announced.
The program represents a major industrial challenge. Safran must extract more thrust from an unchanging physical volume without sacrificing the reliability of an already proven powerplant.
The ultimate success of the M88 T-REX will not be measured solely by its 9-ton thrust figure, but by its ability to deliver that performance reliably over time, with sustainable maintenance costs and consistent output across all Rafale mission profiles.