Additional Rafales to Egypt and India
In a recent piece, Pierre Tran focused on Egypt acquiring additional Rafales for their Air Force.
Paris – France welcomed May 4 an Egyptian announcement of an order for a further 30 Rafale fighter jets and weapons from Dassault Aviation, MBDA and Safran, confirming a news report on Disclose, a French campaigning website.
“The armed forces minister, Florence Parly, welcomes the latest export success of the Rafale for Egypt,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Egypt, which was the first export client for the Rafale with a contract signed in February 2015, announced the signature of three contracts with Dassault Aviation, MBDA and Safran, for the delivery of 30 more aircraft, and related equipment.”
The Egyptian deal was worth a total €3.95 billion ($4.7 billion), with €3.75 billion for the Rafales, and €200 million for weapons from MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense, the website Disclose reported May 3.
Cairo’s order for 30 Rafale follows the first batch of 24 fighters in the 2015 arms deal, which included a French multi-mission frigate.
And Shweta Sehgal in India Strategic noted that three more rafales were being added for the IAF’s second MMRCA Squadron.
New Delhi. Three Rafale combat aircraft are arriving in India May 6th for IAF’s second MMRCA Squadron being raised at Hashimara in Eastern India.
The Indian Embassy in Paris tweeted pictures of the three aircraft before their departure and said they will fly direct to India but with midair refueling from French and UAE tankers.
It should take about nine hours for the aircraft to reach India at normal cruising speed.
The first Squadron of 18 Rafales stationed at Ambala in western India is already fully operational.
India had ordered 36 Rafales in a G-to-G deal in 2016, and all the 36 aircraft should be operational with IAF by mid 2022.
And a Reuters report published on May 4, 2021 highlighted a new sale of Rafales to Egypt as well.
Egypt has signed a contract with France to buy 30 Rafale fighter jets, its defence ministry said in a statement early on Tuesday, in a deal that investigative website Disclose said on Monday was worth 3.75 billion euro ($4.5 billion).
President Emmanuel Macron said in December he would not make the sale of weapons to Egypt conditional on human rights because he did not want to weaken Cairo’s ability to counter terrorism in the region, a comment that drew the ire of critics.
Egypt’s defense ministry said the deal would be financed through a loan to be re-paid over at least 10 years, but did not disclose the value of the deal or further details.
Citing confidential documents, Disclose said an agreement had been concluded at the end of April and a deal could be sealed on Tuesday when an Egyptian delegation arrives in Paris.
This deal would be a further boost for the Dassault-made warplane after a 2.5 billion euro agreement was finalised in January for the sale of 18 Rafales to Greece.