Four French Air Force Rafale fighters have begun the 40-day Pegase 26 deployment, a long-range mission covering the Arctic, Indo-Pacific and Middle East. The deployment is expected to span approximately 40,000 km, cross three continents and involve nine stopovers, according to the supplied Associated Press report.The detachment consists of two single-seat and two twin-seat Rafales. They are accompanied by three A330 MRTT tanker aircraft, two A400M transports and approximately 300 personnel. The deployment is designed to demonstrate France’s ability to move combat aircraft over great distances, sustain them away from home bases and operate alongside allied and partner air forces.The opening leg took the Rafales over Greenland toward Alaska. The flight lasted nearly 11 hours and required five aerial refuellings. After reaching Alaska, the French fighters conducted training with US aircraft.The mission will subsequently move through the Indo-Pacific, with planned activities involving Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and India. The aircraft will then pass through the Gulf, including Qatar, before completing the deployment in Egypt.Pegase missions have been conducted by France since 2018, but the 2026 operation is notable because it uses a northern route through Greenland and Alaska before continuing toward the Indo-Pacific. French commanders said the route provides an alternative pathway while exposing crews and aircraft to Arctic operating conditions.The deployment also takes place against a backdrop of heightened strategic competition in the High North. Statements by US President Donald Trump regarding control of Greenland have contributed to tensions within NATO, while Russia has objected to increased alliance activity in the Arctic. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has argued that NATO exercises in the region could increase security risks and the possibility of military confrontation.
