On August 20, 2025, the French Air Force published a video on its official X account (@Armee_de_lair) that sparked major reactions among military analysts and aviation enthusiasts.
In the footage, a Rafale fighter is seen locking radar and symbolically “shooting down” an American F-35A Lightning II during a close air combat (CAC) simulation.
The video was recorded in June 2025 during the multinational exercise Atlantic Trident 25, hosted in Finland, which included air forces from France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Finland.
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In total, over 40 aircraft and around 1,000 military personnel participated in the operations.
In addition to the F-35, the Rafale was also shown “defeating” a U.S. F-15E and a Finnish F/A-18 in dogfight simulations.
Context and limitations
Although the video went viral, experts remind that the results apply only to simulated short-range combat (CAC). The F-35 is designed to excel in long-range aerial engagements (BVR), where sensors, stealth, and network integration play a decisive role. Results from Beyond Visual Range (BVR) simulations were not disclosed.
This is not the first symbolic “kill” of a 5th generation American fighter by the Rafale: in 2009, during exercises in the Middle East, the French fighter also simulated a victory over an F-22 Raptor.
Source and images: X @Armee_de_lair. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
