Technical analysis of annual maintenance costs for a Rafale fighter, compared with the F-35 Lightning II. Figures and budget logic.
The Dassault Rafale is a multi-role fighter developed by France to meet the operational needs of the air force and navy. Its design is based on national strategic autonomy, with no foreign industrial dependency. However, operational efficiency comes at a price. The annual maintenance cost of such an aircraft is a critical parameter, far more decisive than its purchase price. Armies need to integrate this expenditure into their budget cycles. Maintaining a Rafale relies on structured logistics, complex support engineering and technical availability contracted with industry. This article deciphers the actual maintenance costs of a fighter aircraft like the Rafale, with a technical and budgetary comparison with the F-35 Lightning II, in order to measure the industrial, financial and strategic stakes.
The actual annual maintenance cost of a Dassault Rafale
The annual maintenance cost of a Rafale is estimated at between 2.7 and 3.5 million euros per aircraft, according to French industrial and military sources. This cost includes maintenance in operational condition (MCO), including :
- spare parts logistics,
- preventive and corrective maintenance operations,
- scheduled overhauls,
- ground staff costs,
- associated infrastructure.
Spare parts and spare parts
The cost of spare parts represents 30 to 40% of MCO, i.e. around 1 to 1.4 million euros per year. Some critical parts, such as Snecma M88 engines, hydraulic actuators, optronic equipment and mission computers, have a limited lifespan and very high unit costs. An M88 engine, for example, costs around 4 million euros, with a service life of 4,500 hours. Annual engine maintenance costs often exceed 600,000 euros per unit.
A Rafale requires 30 to 32 hours of ground maintenance for every hour of flight, according to the French Ministry of Defence. With 200 flight hours per aircraft per year, this represents 6,000 to 6,400 hours of maintenance per year. Including staff salaries (technicians, quality controllers, logisticians), this adds up to around 800,000 to 1 million euros per aircraft per year.
Software, tests and sensors
The Rafale’s avionics architecture requires regular maintenance of software systems, sensors and on-board computers. Technological obsolescence also requires periodic upgrades, known as Standards F4, F5, etc., financed outside the MCO budget, but with an indirect impact on overall costs.
Technical summary of annual cost
| Budget item | Estimated annual cost (euros) |
|---|---|
| Spare parts / engines | 1,000,000 to 1,400,000 |
| Labor / maintenance hours | 800,000 to 1,000,000 |
| Infrastructure / logistics | 300,000 to 500,000 |
| Software tools and testing | 200,000 to 300,000 |
| Total per aircraft / year | 2,700,000 to 3,500,000 |
These figures may vary according to industrial agreements. For example, the Balzac contract between Dassault Aviation and the French Air Force optimizes availability while pooling certain operations.
The F-35 Lightning II, produced by Lockheed Martin, has significantly higher maintenance costs. The cost per flight hour (CPFH) of the F-35A (the most popular version) reaches 36,000 USD (or 33,000 euros), compared with around 16,000 to 19,000 euros for a Rafale.
Hourly cost doubled
With 200 flight hours a year, an F-35 generates 6.6 million euros in annual operating costs. This figure includes the same items: engines, spares, software and technical personnel. The F135-PW-100 engine alone costs 10 to 12 million euros, with highly technical, centralized maintenance.
Industrial dependency
The F-35 imposes a logistical dependency on the worldwide ALIS (Autonomic Logistics Information System) network, which is gradually being replaced by ODIN. This adds a software maintenance cost that is difficult to budget precisely, but estimated at between 800,000 and 1.2 million euros per aircraft per year, for the software infrastructure alone.
Indirect cost of unavailability
The F-35 suffers from lower operational availability than the Rafale, sometimes below 55% in some units. This increases the need for reserve aircraft, and hence the overall MCO budget. By contrast, the Rafale regularly achieves 75-80% availability.
Comparative summary
| Data | Dassault Rafale | F-35 Lightning II |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance cost | 2.7 to 3.5 M€ | 6 to 7 M€ |
| Cost per flight hour | 16,000 to 19,000 € | 33,000 € |
| Average availability | 75 to 80% | 50 to 60% |
| National logistical autonomy | Yes | No |
The budgetary trade-offs behind these costs
Maintenance budgets for fighter aircraft often represent more than 60% of the total cost of ownership over 30 years. Buying an aircraft for 100 million euros is a misleading indicator if MCO costs are not taken into account.
Armies have to make a trade-off between the number of aircraft, flight hours, parts life, logistical redundancy, industrial contracts and technological expertise. Here, the Rafale benefits from a limited series effect, but a fully mastered industrial chain in France, which reduces logistical cost overruns.
Conversely, the F-35 imposes a logic of structural dependence on the United States, with operating costs that are difficult for European forces to control. These technical considerations are now central to the strategic choices made by governments.
Finally, the Rafale’s cost/operating efficiency ratio remains favorable. Maintenance costs are more stable, predictable and internally adjustable. This parameter, which is often overlooked in political debates, nevertheless determines the long-term sustainability of fleets.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.