Several tranches of Rafales have been ordered by the French Armed Forces, totalling 234 aircraft for the French Air Force and the French Marine Nationale.

Eight French Air Force and three French Navy units are equipped with the Rafale:

• Escadron de Chasse 1/4 “Gascogne », Saint-Dizier
• Escadron de Chasse 2/4 “La Fayette », Saint-Dizier
• Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 “Aquitaine », Saint-Dizier
• Escadron de Chasse et d’Expérimentation 1/30 “Côte d’Argent », Mont-de-Marsan
• Escadron de Chasse 2/30 “Normandie-Niemen », Mont-de-Marsan
• Escadron de Chasse 3/30 “Lorraine », Mont-de-Marsan
• Escadron de Chasse 1/7 “Provence », Al Dhafra, United Arab Emirates
• Escadron de Chasse 1/5 “Vendée », Orange
• Flottilles 11F, 12F et 17F in Landivisiau and on board the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

The Rafale regularly participates in numerous multinational exercises: Red Flag, ATLC, Tiger Meet, Maple Flag, Arctic Challenge, Pitch Black, Bold Quest…. The Rafale M is the only non-US type of fighter cleared to operate from the decks of US carriers.