Daher Expands Rafale Aerostructure Role for Dassault Aviation

Daher Group has expanded its manufacturing responsibilities within the Dassault Rafale fighter program, taking on the production of critical composite and metallic aerostructures to support Dassault Aviation as it accelerates aircraft output.

In a press release issued on June 16, 2026, during the Eurosatory defense and security show in Paris, Daher detailed its growing portfolio of flight safety-critical components for the multirole fighter. The strategic industrial transfer is designed to alleviate production bottlenecks as Dassault works through a backlog of more than 220 aircraft for French and export customers.

Strategic industrial transfers support production targets

Dassault Aviation is currently executing a significant production ramp-up. According to recent reporting by Aviation Week, the manufacturer plans to deliver 28 Rafale aircraft in 2026, an increase from 26 deliveries in 2025. The company ultimately targets a production rate of four aircraft per month by 2028 or 2029.

To facilitate this volume, Dassault transferred the manufacturing of the Rafale’s canards and vertical tail plane from its own facility in Biarritz, France, to Daher.

“Daher’s work on the Rafale demonstrates our ability to industrialize and assemble critical components in highly demanding environments, while supporting the program’s production ramp-up,” said Alain-Jory Barthe, CEO of Daher Industry. “Our adherence to delivery schedules and the quality of our production are recognized by Dassault Aviation, with whom we’ve built a long-term relationship of trust based on a shared industrial DNA as family-owned companies.”

Critical aerostructure manufacturing and assembly

Daher’s expanded work package encompasses both composite manufacturing and complex metallic assembly. The company confirmed that the thermoset composite canards have already passed their qualification milestones. The vertical tail plane is currently entering its final validation phase.

In addition to the flight control surfaces, Daher is responsible for assembling the C1-C7 forward fuselage section. Located immediately aft of the nose, this section incorporates the structural support for the aircraft’s in-flight refueling probe. The assembly process involves integrating approximately 800 elementary parts, which are primarily metallic and sheet metal components.

The Tier 1 supplier also produces equipped T34 panels and the radio access hatch specifically designed for the two-seat variant of the Rafale.

AirPro News analysis

We view Dassault’s delegation of major structural assemblies to Daher as a textbook supply chain optimization strategy for an original equipment manufacturer facing a steep production curve. By offloading the canards and vertical tail plane, Dassault frees up floor space and specialized labor at its Biarritz plant for other critical path items. Daher is well-positioned to absorb this work. With 14,500 employees globally and reported 2025 revenues of €1.9 billion, the company has the industrial scale required to meet defense-standard quality requirements while maintaining the strict delivery schedules necessary for Dassault to reach a rate of four aircraft per month.

Sources: Daher