Dassault Aviation, the French aerospace major behind the Rafale fighter jets operated by the Indian Air Force, has entered into a strategic partnership with defence artificial intelligence firm Harmattan AI to accelerate the integration of controlled autonomy and AI into future combat aviation systems. As part of the collaboration, Dassault Aviation is leading Harmattan AI’s $200 million Series B funding round, signalling a strong push to embed sovereign, monitored AI technologies into next-generation air combat platforms. Harmattan AI said the funding round has valued the company at $1.4 billion, reflecting rising investor confidence in AI-led defence capabilities. The partnership will support the development of advanced AI functions across Dassault’s future air combat systems, with a particular focus on the control of unmanned aerial systems. Dassault is currently developing the Rafale F5, a new version of its flagship fighter jet expected to enter service around 2030, alongside an unmanned combat air system designed to operate in coordination with the Rafale F5 during future missions. Reacting to the announcement, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the partnership, highlighting its importance for strategic autonomy, technological superiority and economic growth in the field of AI-enabled defence systems. Harmattan AI has already secured multiple programmes of record from the French and UK ministries of defence for its autonomous systems portfolio and is now expanding globally amid growing demand for AI-driven military capabilities. The fresh capital will be used to deploy AI-enabled missions in new operational theatres, expand into additional defence domains and scale industrial manufacturing of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, drone interception and electronic warfare platforms. Eric Trappier, chairman and chief executive of Dassault Aviation, said the company has consistently placed technological excellence and sovereignty at the core of its strategy. He added that the partnership reflects Dassault’s commitment to integrating high-value autonomy into the next generation of combat air systems to meet the evolving needs of armed forces. Mouad M’Ghari, chief executive and co-founder of Harmattan AI, said the collaboration marked a decisive step towards a new generation of autonomous defence systems, combining frontier AI with world-class military aviation expertise to shape the future of collaborative air combat. Under the agreement, Dassault Aviation will contribute its expertise in complex military system architecture, mission system integration in high-intensity environments and international defence business development through its global network.