The Rafale fighter aircraft’s C1-C7 forward fuselage section
Daher, a French aerospace and logistics company, is showcasing its growing role in the Rafale fighter aircraft programme at Eurosatory 2026, highlighting its manufacture and assembly of critical flight-safety components, including canards, vertical tail planes and forward fuselage sections, as production of the combat aircraft ramps up.
In a press statement, Daher says that it manufactures the Rafale’s canards and vertical tail plane, key aerodynamic structures that play a critical role in the aircraft’s manoeuvrability, stability and overall flight performance. Production of these components was transferred from Dassault Aviation’s facility in Biarritz as part of efforts to increase output under the programme.
The company says these structures are manufactured using thermoset composite materials with high mechanical properties and require advanced industrial processes, including fabric cutting, automated layup, autoclave curing, precision machining and fitting. Daher adds that the canards have successfully completed major industrial qualification milestones, while the vertical tail plane is progressively entering its final validation phase.
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Daher also assembles the Rafale’s C1-C7 forward fuselage section, a critical structural subassembly located behind the aircraft’s nose and close to the cockpit canopy. The section incorporates the structural support for the aircraft’s in-flight refuelling probe, a key capability that enhances operational range and mission endurance.
According to the company, the forward fuselage section is composed of approximately 800 elementary parts, primarily metallic and sheet-metal components, requiring extremely high geometric precision and strict interface control to ensure assembly robustness and repeatability. Positioned at the beginning of Dassault Aviation’s final assembly line, the section directly influences the overall flow of Rafale production.
In addition, Daher assembles equipped T34 panels, including panels used in fuel zones that require stringent sealing standards and specialised manufacturing processes. The company also produces the radio access hatch for the two-seat Rafale variant, providing access to radio systems located behind the cockpit canopy.
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The statement says that its involvement in the Rafale programme demonstrates the continuity of its industrial capabilities across both civil and defence aerospace sectors. The company notes that its expertise in complex assemblies, aerospace quality standards and production ramp-ups contributes directly to industrial and operational sovereignty through the manufacture of critical, high-value components.
Alain-Jory Barthe
The company adds that its long-standing relationship with Dassault Aviation is built on shared values as family-owned industrial groups, including a focus on industrial excellence, specialised know-how and long-term strategic vision.
“Daher’s work on the Rafale demonstrates our ability to industrialise and assemble critical components in highly demanding environments, while supporting the programme’s production ramp-up. Our adherence to delivery schedules and the quality of our production are recognised by Dassault Aviation, with whom we have built a long-term relationship of trust based on a shared industrial DNA as family-owned companies,” says Alain-Jory Barthe, CEO, Daher Industry.