France's PEGASE 26 Mission to Deploy Rafale Fighters Across Arctic, Indo-Pacific, and Middle East
France's Air and Space Force announced its sixth major long-range air power deployment, PEGASE 26, launching in early September 2026. The 38-day mission will deploy four Rafale F4 fighters, three A330 MRTT tankers, and two A400M transport aircraft, supported by nearly 300 airmen. The route covers three strategic regions: the Arctic (with stops in Greenland and Alaska for joint training with US forces), the Indo-Pacific (Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and India), and the Middle East (Qatar and Egypt for exercise AMUN 26). The mission merges priorities from previous PEGASE editions, including Arctic operations and Indo-Pacific power projection, demonstrating France's ability to project combat airpower globally without relying on foreign bases. The deployment validates new air routes toward North America and reinforces France's role as an Indo-Pacific power with the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the region.
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