Dassault Aviation SA, developer of the Rafale fighter jet, led a $200 million investment into the relatively unknown drone company Harmattan AI, making it one of Europe’s newest unicorn startups.

Harmattan AI has raised $200 million in a Series B round led by Dassault Aviation, the French aerospace manufacturer. The funding will support global expansion of AI-enabled missions, extend its product portfolio into new domains, and scale manufacturing of ISR, drone interception and electronic warfare platforms. Founded in 2024, Harmattan AI develops autonomous defence systems and has secured multiple programmes of record from French and UK defence ministries. The company currently delivers thousands of systems monthly and has deployed technology with NATO and allied partners. The partnership will integrate Harmattan AI's embedded AI capabilities into Dassault Aviation's future combat systems, including the Rafale F5 and unmanned aerial systems. Dassault Aviation will contribute expertise in military platform architecture and international business development.