Harmattan AI Series B funding has reached a major milestone as Dassault Aviation leads a $200 million investment round, signaling growing momentum behind AI-driven autonomous defense systems.
The funding accompanies a strategic partnership between the two companies aimed at accelerating the integration of controlled autonomy and artificial intelligence into next-generation combat aviation platforms.
Announced in Paris–Saint-Cloud, the partnership reflects a shared vision to embed sovereign, monitored, and mission-first AI into advanced military aircraft. For Dassault Aviation, the move reinforces its long-standing emphasis on technological excellence, strategic autonomy, and defense sovereignty. For Harmattan AI, it provides industrial scale, credibility, and access to deep expertise in complex military system integration.
The Harmattan AI Series B round will support the company’s rapid global expansion. Harmattan AI has already secured multiple Programs of Record from the French and UK Ministries of Defence, underscoring confidence in its autonomous systems portfolio. With rising demand from allied forces, the new capital will help deploy AI-enabled missions across additional operational theaters.
A significant portion of the funding will be directed toward scaling industrial manufacturing. Harmattan AI plans to increase production of its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms, drone interception systems, and electronic warfare solutions. These systems are designed for high-intensity environments, where speed, reliability, and decision superiority are critical.
The partnership also deepens technical collaboration. Dassault Aviation will work closely with Harmattan AI to integrate embedded AI capabilities into future air combat systems, including the Rafale F5 standard and unmanned combat aerial systems. A key focus area is the coordinated control of unmanned aerial systems, enabling manned and unmanned assets to operate together in complex missions.
According to Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier, the collaboration reflects a deliberate strategy to combine sovereign control with cutting-edge autonomy. By partnering with a fast-moving AI defense company, Dassault aims to deliver advanced capabilities that meet the evolving needs of armed forces while maintaining strict oversight of AI behavior in combat scenarios.
Harmattan AI’s leadership views the investment as a defining moment. CEO and co-founder Mouad M’Ghari described the partnership as a decisive step toward a new generation of autonomous defense systems. By combining frontier AI research with Dassault Aviation’s proven expertise in military aviation, the company aims to shape the future of collaborative air combat.
Beyond funding, Dassault Aviation brings deep experience in system architecture, mission system integration, and deployment in contested operational environments. This expertise is critical as Harmattan AI extends its products into new domains and adapts its platforms to diverse military requirements across NATO and allied partners.
Founded in 2024, Harmattan AI has grown at exceptional speed. The company develops vertically integrated autonomous systems, spanning layered air defense, coordinated ISR and strike UAVs, electronic warfare tools, and command-and-control platforms. Its ability to deliver thousands of systems per month highlights the increasing industrialization of AI-driven defense technologies.
The Harmattan AI Series B round also reflects a broader trend in defense innovation. Governments are seeking AI solutions that balance autonomy with accountability, ensuring systems remain interpretable, controllable, and aligned with strategic objectives. Partnerships between established defense primes and agile AI startups are emerging as a preferred model to achieve this balance.
As geopolitical tensions rise and air combat becomes increasingly data-driven, investments like this signal where the future of defense technology is headed. AI-enabled systems are no longer experimental add-ons; they are becoming core components of modern military capability, shaping how nations plan, deter, and fight.
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