Dogfight of Narratives: China's Covert War on France’s Rafale Fighter Jet

China allegedly used embassies and disinformation to undermine Rafale jet sales, targeting France’s defense credibility and regional partnerships.

In the shadowy theater of modern geopolitics, disinformation has emerged as a potent tool of strategic competition. A recent French intelligence assessment, seen by the Associated Press, reveals how China allegedly launched a covert campaign to tarnish the reputation of France’s flagship fighter jet, the Rafale. At the heart of this unfolding drama lies not just a sophisticated aircraft, but a deeper contest over influence, markets, and trust in an increasingly polarized global defense industry.

According to French defense and intelligence officials, Chinese embassies — notably through defense attachés — orchestrated efforts to discourage countries like Indonesia from further purchasing Rafale jets. This effort reportedly included direct lobbying of foreign defense officials, social media manipulation, and dissemination of false or misleading content. The campaign gained momentum after the May clashes between India and Pakistan, during which Rafales reportedly saw combat for the first time. Pakistan claimed to have downed three Rafales, an assertion that India did not officially confirm and that French officials have questioned, citing limited evidence.

What followed was a cascade of online disinformation: AI-generated images, doctored video-game footage presented as real, and thousands of newly created social media accounts touting Chinese military superiority. Analysts describe this as a clear effort to exploit uncertainty, spread doubt, and cast China’s own defense technology in a favorable light. Although French investigators could not link the digital onslaught directly to the Chinese government, they found circumstantial evidence suggesting coordination with state interests.

At stake is more than just a fighter jet. The Rafale is a symbol of France’s defense industrial base and technological autonomy. As France deepens its strategic ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific — a region increasingly contested by China — its military exports serve as anchors of geopolitical trust. Undermining the Rafale, therefore, is not just an attack on a product but on France’s strategic influence and its vision of a multipolar, rules-based order.

The Chinese government has dismissed the accusations as “groundless rumors and slander,” maintaining its position as a responsible actor in global arms sales. Yet, the incident aligns with broader patterns of Chinese information warfare, where state-backed narratives seep into global discourse through influencers, fake accounts, and pseudo-news platforms.

This episode highlights a critical dimension of contemporary defense competition: the battle for perception. Success in arms sales today hinges not only on technical specifications or battlefield results but also on the strength of reputation and the narrative that surrounds it. When facts blur into manipulated content, and lobbying masquerades as diplomacy, national defense products become pawns in a larger psychological and economic contest.

France’s response has been resolute. It has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting buyers of the Rafale and countering the flow of disinformation. With 533 Rafales sold — 323 of them to export markets — the stakes are significant, both financially and strategically. The outcome of this narrative skirmish may well shape future procurement decisions in countries balancing between Western and Chinese influence.

In the final calculus, this is a reminder that modern warfare — both economic and military — increasingly unfolds in the murky domains of cyberspace and perception. The Rafale, sleek and lethal, now finds itself not just in dogfights over skies, but over truths and trust.