Dassault Rafale Cannon Upgrade for Counter-Drone Operations

On April 16, 2026, Janes reported that France has upgraded the Dassault Rafale to improve its ability to counter drones, and the Direction Générale de l'Armement confirmed that modifications were made to the aircraft’s cannon system to target unmanned aerial threats, especially Iranian Shahed-type drones.

Janes stated that upgrade focuses on improving the fire control system linked to the Giat DEFA 791B, allowing more accurate targeting of small, fast-moving drones.

The software modification enhances targeting precision and tracking capability. This enables the cannon to effectively engage low-cost, one-way attack UAVs.