France’s Rafale F4 tests drone with NAMIB system for radar detection

French aerospace and defense company Dassault, together with Harmattan AI, has announced a trial in which a Rafale F4 fighter successfully controlled a drone carrying the new NAMIB system. The drone was able to detect a simulated enemy radar dozens of kilometers away, providing real-time data to the Rafale crew. NAMIB is a system specifically designed for detecting and classifying radar signals. This capability allows the drone to act as forward reconnaissance, reducing risk to manned aircraft. The trial demonstrates the maturity of technology for integrating unmanned aerial vehicles with fighter jets into a unified combat system. According to the companies, this is a step forward in future air combat concepts.