With an availability rate of over 75%, the Rafale relies on modular maintenance and an efficient Dassault/Thales/Safran supply chain.
In summary
The Dassault Rafale stands out as much for its sensors and weapons as for its Rafale logistics. The armed forces are looking for an availability rate of > 75% for a fleet deployed in mainland France, on overseas operations and aboard the Charles de Gaulle. This performance is based on modular maintenance (rapid replacement of replaceable units in line), a contractualized MCO (RAVEL) and an integrated Dassault/Thales/Safran industrial loop. In concrete terms, line teams replace a card or module in a matter of minutes, the aircraft takes off again, and major repairs are carried out in the workshop. Thales avionics (RBE2 AESA radar, SPECTRA) and Safran M88 engines are supported by advanced stocks, performance contracts, and condition monitoring. The result: more sorties per airframe, shorter return-to-service times, and greater predictability for headquarters and export customers. The following challenges are paramount: securing the supply chain, addressing electronic obsolescence, and industrializing predictive maintenance to improve availability without additional costs.
The logistics framework that supports availability
Operational availability measures the proportion of aircraft that are ready for deployment at a given moment, excluding scheduled maintenance and long-term immobilization. Aiming for an availability rate of > 75% for the Rafale makes concrete sense: out of 100 aircraft, at least 75 must be able to fly, armed and configured, with a preparation time of a few hours. This level is demanding for a modern two-seater/single-seater fighter, whose avionics complexity, load diversity, and logistical footprint exceed those of a training fleet. The key is to align the maintenance organization with the reality of the job. At the base, the first level performs light tasks (checks, oil changes, minor inspections) and, above all, the standard replacement of LRUs (Line Replaceable Units). The objective is not to “open” a computer or radar, but to remove it in a few minutes and install a healthy module to restart the airframe.
This model requires a coherent network: an LRU stock sized according to actual consumption, detailed traceability (serial numbers, hours, usage profiles), and workshops capable of absorbing repairs without creating a “bottleneck” effect. The French experience, consolidated by the DMAé, has pushed for verticalization: an industrial prime contractor responsible for the result, a client who sets the indicators (service rate, logistics deadlines), and a governance structure that makes quick decisions. On an operational level, availability is also achieved through planning: grouping work, avoiding multiple aircraft/weapons reconfigurations, smoothing the load of scheduled visits, and anticipating parts requirements during peak periods (deployments, embarkations). This discipline, coupled with advanced stocks in the theater, explains why squadrons maintain a pace of several sorties per day and per aircraft in a high-activity posture.
Modular maintenance and Rafale MCO
Modular maintenance is at the heart of Rafale MCO. Each critical system is divided into replaceable modules: electronic cards, actuators, computers, pumps, air conditioning components, RBE2 AESA radar sub-assemblies, SPECTRA sub-modules, or Safran M88 compressor/accessory box assemblies. The ramp team uses BITE (Built-In Test Equipment) and HUMS (Health and Usage Monitoring System) to diagnose the problem, remove the LRU in question, replace it, recheck it, and release the aircraft. The removed module is sent to the workshop for a complete test, standard replacement, or repair. This method limits runway downtime to tens of minutes for simple failures, instead of hours.
The performance-based support contract—of which RAVEL is the archetype—sets targets for availability, parts service rates, delivery times, and cost per flight hour. The manufacturer assumes responsibility, pools feedback from all fleets (air, marine, export) and adjusts LRU allocations. The Safran M88 engine also benefits from a modular design: hot and cold modules can be removed without dismantling the aircraft, which shortens engine maintenance time and reduces the overall stock of replacement engines. Thales electronics follow the same logic: cold replacement of a radar drawer or SPECTRA computer, then recalibration when power is turned on.
In terms of methods, conditional maintenance is gaining ground: parameters (vibrations, temperatures, cycles) trigger a targeted intervention rather than a systematic scheduled inspection. By adding analytics to HUMS data, we are shifting from a “repair after failure” approach to “prevent failure.” The cumulative effect of these building blocks can be seen in availability: fewer aircraft grounded for long periods, fewer “cannibalized aircraft,” and better predictability of downtime.
The Dassault/Thales/Safran industrial chain
The Dassault/Thales/Safran industrial chain structures day-to-day support. Dassault Aviation acts as the integrator: reference configuration, documentation, configuration management, arbitration of standard upgrades and obsolescence. Thales is responsible for critical avionics: RBE2 AESA, SPECTRA, mission computers, data links, and sights. Safran covers propulsion (Safran M88) and major systems (landing gear, controls), in coordination with other equipment manufacturers. Each player manages its own tier 2 and 3 supply chain: electronic cards, ceramics, microwaves, hot parts foundry, precision mechanics, complex cabling.
The challenge is twofold. First, to absorb export demand (Egypt, Qatar, India, Greece, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Croatia) without compromising support for French fleets. Second, to manage electronic obsolescence: some components disappear from the market in less than ten years. The answer lies in “last time buys,” card redesigns, and a “form-fit-function” policy to ensure interoperability and replacement parts. On the workshop side, verticalization concentrates skills: repair centers qualified by equipment family, shared test benches, and feedback loops to the design office when recurring failures occur.
Information flows through shared systems: flight hours by profile (high/sea/hot), temperature ranges, failure statistics by series, and criticality index. This transparency feeds into the planning of shutdowns for modernization (F3R, F4) without disrupting the activity plan. It also determines the quality of the stocks advanced during deployments: we don’t take “everything” with us, but only the parts that are likely to fail in the given context (dust, salt, heat, catapulting). This industrial maturity explains the ability to support long campaigns with an optimized core of spare parts.
The operational impact on air/sea/land missions
Availability is not an administrative indicator; it is measured in military effects. At >75%, a squadron can maintain high sortie rates during exercises, alerts, or operations. Based in the Levant or the Sahel, Rafale aircraft carry out a series of mixed missions: reconnaissance, escort, guided strikes, close support. A short turnaround time—replacement of an avionics LRU, quick inspection, reloading—allows a return to the starting point in less than two hours, depending on the configuration. At sea, the fleet optimizes the deck-catapult-landing cycles: naval aviation operations require logistical precision; a missing LRU at the wrong time disrupts the entire sortie planning.
Thales avionics (RBE2 AESA and SPECTRA radar) benefit from modular maintenance: a computer changed in 20 minutes restores full detection or electronic warfare capability, preventing an aircraft from taking off in a “degraded” state. The fuel-efficient and responsive Safran M88 engine allows for repeated throttle increases without unduly penalizing the engine cycle, as long as HUMS monitoring is respected. For the military command, a stable fleet at >75% delivers more “flight packages” over time: a six-week campaign with eight aircraft available produces dozens of additional precision strikes compared to a fleet with 50-60% availability. This difference is not theoretical: it reduces target processing time, improves ISR permanence, and relieves crews.
Another effect is predictability. Knowing that two-thirds of the fleet will be “combat-ready” on D+1 allows for more ambitious operational design (recalibration windows, rotations, redundancies). Availability then becomes a force multiplier, just like new ammunition or increased radar range.
Effects for suppliers and export customers
For suppliers, high availability generates a sustained but predictable workload. Workshops plan for peaks related to deployments and test campaigns, purchase sensitive components in advance, and run their test loops. Performance contracts transfer part of the risk: if the service rate for parts is insufficient, the manufacturer incurs penalties, which encourages investment in inventory and repair capabilities. Tier 2 and 3 subcontractors gain visibility but must demonstrate supply resilience (dual sourcing, partial relocation, safety stocks).
For customers, the benefit is direct. A Rafale supported by modular MCO costs less per flight hour and flies more over the year. Air forces can calibrate training: more hours for pilots, more combined exercises, and a “smaller” fleet for the same operational effect. Countries entering service rely on shared spare parts pools, local MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) lines, and gradual capacity transfers. Contractual options often provide for a ramp-up: initially, the manufacturer provides support; then the local operator takes over segments (avionics workshop, engine workshop), while remaining backed by the original ecosystem for heavy repairs and obsolescence.
Finally, the transparency of indicators (service rates, lead times, workshop returns) reassures the financier. An MCO that stays on track avoids budget “spikes” and prolonged downtime. Conversely, a failure of a critical component—microcontrollers, power converters, hot parts—can cause a fleet to drop below 70% in a matter of weeks. Hence the importance of securing European supply chains for sensitive components.
Risks and levers for improvement
Nothing can be taken for granted. Electronic obsolescence is accelerating; some components disappear within 7 to 10 years. The priority is to master “form-fit-function” redesign, secure end-of-life stocks, and document interchangeability over time. The supply chain must also absorb external shocks (geopolitical, raw materials, transport). One lever is to broaden sources, bring critical production closer together, and use additives for non-critical mechanical parts in order to shorten cycles.
In terms of data, the potential for predictive maintenance remains significant. The consolidation of telemetry (engine, vibrations, bay temperatures, landing cycles) feeds models that anticipate performance drift. The goal is not to “hyper-digitize” everything, but to choose systems where prediction truly prevents unplanned withdrawals (radar, electronic warfare, generators, air conditioning packs). The result is a few additional points of availability.
Finally, configuration management must remain strict. The F3R and then F4 standards bring gains, but each evolution adds dependencies (software, part references). “Sober” governance—few active variants, a reduced number of temporary kits, and strict documentation—simplifies the lives of mechanics, speeds up repairs, and reduces errors. Ultimately, availability is simply the manifestation of a coherent system: doctrine, contracts, inventory, repairs, and technical decisions aligned with operational use.
Live a unique fighter jet experience