Prototype. First flew in 1986. Preserved at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Paris-Le Bourget from 2009.

This is one of four prototypes and was the airframe used as the Rafale A technology demonstrator, making its first flight in July 1986. The plane was TOC by the French AF but operated by Dassault and flew concurrently with its military serial and the civil registration F-ZWRE. Later it became a flying test bed for the Snecma M88 turbofan engine as the left powerplant. The right powerplant retained the original GE F404. The plane made its 867th and last flight on 4th January 1994 before being donated to the museum for display in April 2009.

First prototype of Rafale used by Dassault at this time as demonstrator and seen here with French Navy roundels.

[Nikon D300 + Nikkor AF-S 35mm/1,8]

The prototype Rafale, now preserved at the Musee de l'Air