Dassault Aviation Leads $200 Million Series B for Defense Unicorn Harmattan AI

Harmattan AI has secured $200 million in a Series B funding round led by Dassault Aviation, elevating the startup to a $1.4 billion valuation. This capital injection, announced on January 12, 2026, marks the birth of France's latest defense unicorn and establishes a deep strategic partnership between the two companies. The collaboration focuses on integrating advanced autonomy into the Rafale F5 fighter and its future fleet of unmanned combat aerial systems.

The company utilizes artificial intelligence to create vertically integrated autonomous systems that handle complex mission sets with minimal human intervention. Harmattan's software acts as the cognitive engine for platforms like the Gobi interceptor, which can autonomously track and neutralize loitering munitions. This controlled autonomy approach ensures that while the AI manages high-speed maneuvers and sensor fusion, a human pilot remains in the loop for critical decision-making.

Through Manned-Unmanned Teaming, Harmattan's AI enables a single pilot to coordinate a swarm of autonomous loyal wingmen drones. These platforms, including the Sonora for surveillance and Sahara for strike missions, use AI to share data and execute collaborative tactics in real time. This technology allows allied forces to project power in contested environments without risking high-value crewed assets during high-intensity operations.

Harmattan AI plans to use the $200 million to scale its industrial manufacturing to meet surging demand from the French and UK Ministries of Defence. The funds will also support the expansion of AI-enabled missions into new operational theaters and the development of electronic warfare platforms. Additionally, the investment will accelerate the deployment of sovereign AI software within the broader European air combat architecture.

Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier stated that this partnership reflects a commitment to integrating high-value autonomy into next-generation systems. CEO Mouad M’Ghari added that combining frontier AI with military aviation expertise is a decisive step for the emergence of autonomous defense. Both leaders emphasized that maintaining technological sovereignty is a core objective of the new alliance between the heritage prime and the agile startup.