The Dassault Rafale is a French fourth-generation multirole fighter aircraft. In the 1970s, the French Navy and Air Force needed a new aircraft that could perform a wide range of missions, including carrier operations. The French government turned to Dassault Aviation, which had already had successful experience with the Mirage 2000. In 1983, the Future European Fighter Aircraft (FEFA) program launched, uniting France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom in the joint development of a new fighter aircraft, which would later be known as the Eurofighter Typhoon. However, France withdrew from the project in 1985 due to technical disagreements related to differing design and armament requirements.

Dassault continued development independently and flew the first Rafale prototype in 1986. Following extensive testing, the aircraft was deployed by the French Air Force in 2005. In early 2014, the French Ministry of Defense announced funding for the Rafale F3 modernization program. The program's main goals included installing a new radar and more advanced communication and surveillance systems, integrating the DAMOCLES targeting pod, and expanding the range of available weapons, including the AASM HAMMER guided bomb.

The Rafale C F3 was introduced in Update 2.43 "Storm Warning". It offers excellent flight performance and a wide selection of smart weapons. Its delta wings and canards make it highly responsive during tight maneuvers, and its powerful engines quickly restore energy after turns. Notable smart weapons include the MICA-EM radar-guided missiles and the AASM HAMMER bombs, which have multiple guidance options. However, the aircraft has two drawbacks: a limited number of Matra R550 Magic 2 infrared-guided missiles and a low amount of flares.