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OK but the situations are differents :Accidents[edit]
- On 6 December 2007, a French Air Force twin-seat Rafale crashed during a training flight. The pilot, who suffered from spatial disorientation, was killed in the accident.[263]
- On 24 September 2009, after unarmed test flights, two French Navy Rafales returning to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, collided in mid-air about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the town of Perpignan in southwest France. One test pilot, identified as François Duflot, was killed in the accident, while the other was rescued.[264]
- On 28 November 2010, a Rafale from the carrier Charles de Gaulle crashed in the Arabian Sea. This aircraft was supporting Allied operations in Afghanistan. The pilot ejected safely and was recovered by a rescue helicopter from the carrier. Later reports said the engine stopped after being starved of fuel due to confusion by the pilot in switching fuel tanks.[265]
- On 2 July 2012, during a joint exercise, a Rafale from the carrier Charles de Gaulle plunged into the Mediterranean Sea. The pilot ejected safely and was recovered by an American search and rescue helicopter from the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.[266]
So wait as per Dassault 180 + Rafales have logged 235,000 flight hours and there have been 5 crashes
https://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/group/about-us/civil-and-military-aircraft/
So far 300 F-35s have been delivered and over 140,000 hours logged as of mid 2018 and they just had their 1st crash.
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/business/aviation/article213019144.html
Let's not compare attrition rates, the Rafale has much worse track record with 2 pilots killed. It also seems more pilots crash the Rafale in confusion, may be it's not a easy aircraft to fly.
Rafale first accident (no failure : a pilot disorientation during a rainy night) occured 5 years after being "combat proven" and fully FOC since years.
No Rafale lost on technical issue.
F35 accident came the same week it became "combat proven" (but what did it destroy?) and it is even not FOC.
We can say at 95% it is a failure (pilot is alive).
And in april another F35 was very near a crash. Add also the plane destroyed by an engine fire.
The real life of F35 only start. And it start badly.