For the first time, a French Air & Space Force KC-130J Super Hercules has refueled a Dassault Rafale fighter in flight.
The demonstration was carried out during the bilateral Gulf25 exercise between France and the United Arab Emirates, the Air & Space Force said in a statement published on December 4, 2025.
Conducted from Air Base 104 Al Dhafra, the flight expanded the operational envelope of the KC-130J and introduced a new mode of employment for France’s newest tanker type.
KC-130J makes first contact with Rafale
Until now, the KC-130J fleet has primarily supported special operations units, helicopter refueling, and tactical transport missions. Integrating Rafale fighters into its refueling portfolio adds a layer of flexibility that complements the French Air and Space Force’s Airbus A330 MRTT Phénix fleet, which handles most fast-jet refueling tasks, as well as the A400M.
French officials described the milestone as opening the way to additional operational combinations involving strike packages or forward-based detachments. The mission involved aircraft from the Brigade Aérienne d’Assaut et de Projection and personnel from the fighter unit EC 1/7 ‘Provence’.
France ordered four Super Hercules aircraft, two KC-130J tankers, and two C-130J-30 transports between 2016 and 2019. The KC-130Js were delivered in 2020 and 2021.
The aircraft are operated by the 62e Escadre de Transport at Orléans-Bricy and have been certified to refuel helicopters such as the H225M Caracal during long-range missions. Extending this capability to fast jets broadens the operational reach of both special forces and conventional air units.
Trial carried out during Franco-Emirati exercise
Gulf25 is one of the largest recurring bilateral exercises between France and the UAE, featuring air-to-air training, combined strike missions and mixed formation operations. This year’s edition included Rafale fighters, UAE F-16E/F Block 60 aircraft and a range of enablers.
The French Air and Space Force emphasized that Gulf25 reflects the “strategic and tactical intimacy” between the UAE’s Air Force and Air Defense and French forces, with combined air operations forming a central part of the exercise.
Since 2008, Al Dhafra has hosted Base aérienne 104 (BA 104), the French Air & Space Force’s permanent operational base in the United Arab Emirates. The base has seen several fighter units rotate through over the years, including Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale squadrons, until Escadron de Chasse 1/7 ‘Provence’ was permanently stationed there in 2016. BA 104 now serves as France’s long-standing forward presence in the Gulf, supporting regional operations and combined training with the UAE Air Force.