AzurPoly returned this week with a new development update on its upcoming Dassault Rafale for Microsoft Flight Simulator, a project the team has been steadily shaping over the past months. The timing is also interesting given the real-world attention the fighter has been receiving these days, and it gives us a closer look at where things stand as the aircraft moves further into virtual production.
This new update confirms that the Rafale C exterior model is now fully completed. The developers say the last missing section, the landing-gear bays, has been finished to a high standard, and the latest screenshots show a dense level of mechanical detail. Several liveries are already in the simulator, including a number of Rafale Solo Display schemes, with more sets still in progress.
On the systems side, AzurPoly reports that the aircraft already supports a large range of external stores, covering Meteor, MICA IR and EM, AASM, GBU-12, Damocles, and large-capacity fuel tanks. These are already visible in the latest preview images.
Cockpit and avionics
According to the team, the cockpit model and textures are done, covering every panel and surface. The major task now underway is avionics. AzurPoly says work is active on the HUD, the main displays, the lateral screens, and the HOTAS logic that links the entire setup. The developers plan to begin showing this soon.
Custom flight model
Another significant part of the update is the flight model. AzurPoly states it is building a fully custom fly-by-wire system with control laws that change depending on the aircraft’s loadout. High-alpha behavior, G-limiters, roll-rate schedules, and pitch-rate controllers are coded from scratch.
Mono-throttle operation is also included, complete with auxiliary levers and the IDLE, NORM, and FIX modes used on the real aircraft.
Timeline changes
Initially, AzurPoly expected to release the Rafale toward the end of 2025. That target has now changed. After reviewing the amount of work still ahead, the team says that forcing a release this year would require cutting features or lowering the level of fidelity they are aiming for. The developers prefer to extend production so they can reach the standard they set for the project.
It’s always good to remember that the aircraft is an Officially Licensed Product from Dassault Aviation and is being created in cooperation with JFEXP.
We’ll keep following progress closely. With the exterior and cockpit now finished, and major systems work underway, the Rafale is moving steadily toward what looks to be one of AzurPoly’s most ambitious projects to date. Stay tuned!
