Paris, Sept. 25 – Dassault Aviation has formally entered the Portuguese F-16 replacement race by signing industrial cooperation agreements with AED Cluster Portugal, advancing the Rafale combat aircraft as a contender to replace Lisbon’s aging fighter fleet. The French manufacturer confirmed the memorandum of understanding on September 23, 2026, after the French government submitted the Rafale into the contest in July. These pacts explore collaboration between Rafale partners Safran and Thales and Portugal’s aerospace sector to support local industry growth and national sovereignty.
Similar industrial agreements already exist between AED Cluster Portugal and Airbus for the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and Saab for the Gripen E, placing the Rafale alongside established competitors in Portugal’s fighter jet procurement process. Aviation Week’s Fleet Discovery Database records that the Portuguese air force currently operates 24 Block 15 F-16A/B aircraft upgraded through a Mid-Life Update program, underscoring the need for a modern successor platform.
Until early 2025, the Portuguese air force had indicated plans to follow other European F-16 operators by selecting the F-35, yet in March of that year ministers announced they would not pursue the American jet amid concerns over United States foreign policy. Officials have since softened their position, prompting European fighter manufacturers to intensify marketing efforts in Portugal and opening the field to multiple combat aircraft options, including the Rafale.
Dassault stated the new agreement builds on existing ties in Portugal and will take cooperation with AED and Portuguese industrial partners further to boost the national economy while strengthening the country’s defense sovereignty through technology transfer and local participation in the Rafale program.