Harmattan AI’s $1.4B Takeoff: Can It Outmaneuver Defense Titans?

A French AI startup valued at $1.4 billion in just 24 months now partners with Rafale jet maker Dassault Aviation—while navigating alliances with Russian firms and NATO contracts.

Harmattan AI, a 2-year-old defense tech startup, has secured a $200M Series B funding round led by Dassault Aviation, propelling its valuation to $1.4 billion. The company recently won a 'multi-million-U.S. dollar NATO government contract' for AI-enabled drones, one year after its founding. Its products include AI software for drone interception, electronic warfare, and ISR systems, targeting liberal democracies and allies.

Harmattan CTO Martin de Gourcuff said:

'We are entering an era where, increasingly, power precedes law... Harmattan AI exists to protect our values.'

Strategic partnerships with Dassault Aviation and Russian firm Skyeton raise questions about geopolitical alignment.

The startup’s 'sovereign and scalable' implementation model must balance contractual obligations with real-world deployment risks, including potential vulnerabilities in AI-activated defense drones under adversarial conditions.