French Rafale Marine fighter jets to join RAAF F-35s in Darwin

Possible rain and murky skies won’t be enough to stop fighter pilots from duking it out in the coming days, with Australian and French pilots gearing up to test their skills against the Wet Season conditions. Details.

A trio of French Rafale fighter jets (pictured) will be training alongside Australian F-35 Lightning II’s over Darwin in the coming days. (Photo by Mario GOLDMAN / AFP)

Possible rain and murky skies won’t be enough to stop fighter pilots from duking it out in the coming days, with Australian and French pilots gearing up to test their skills against the wet season conditions.

From Monday, three French Rafale Marine fighter jets will team up with up to three F-35A Lightning II stealth jets from Royal Australian Air Force’s No.2 Operational Conversion Unit to conduct training throughout the week.

At least four days have been designated to allow the fighter pilots to trial various practice serials, according to a Department of Defence alert.

Australian F-35 Lightning II’s will be training with the French jets in the coming days.

Locals have also been told not to be alarmed by overhead noise.

“Residents will notice increased flights overhead while the training is ongoing,” the alert said.

“All flying activities are conducted within strict safety and operational guidelines.”

The three Rafale Marine fighter jets will join their Australian counterparts after they break away from their French Carrier Strike Group, which is currently deployed in the Indo-Pacific.

The Rafale Marine pilots will be joined in Darwin by hundreds of their compatriots when French supply ship Jacques Chevallier also docks later this month.

A French Rafale jet ahead of Exercise Pitch Black 18. Picture: Judith Aisthorpe.

French pilots have made a habit of visiting the Top End for more than 20 years, having first joined mammoth flying activity Exercise Pitch Black in 2004.

The French military is typically represented in the Territory by their Rafale multirole fighter, which has won favour with various European and Asian nations alike, with Greece, India and Croatia among some of the jet’s more prominent operators.

Serbia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates have also indicated their interest in procuring the jet, having placed orders each for its delivery.

The Rafale and F-35 Lightning II’s plan to fly over Darwin between Monday, 20 January to Thursday, 23 January, 2025.

Originally published as French Rafale Marine fighter jets to join RAAF F-35s in Darwin