Rafale seen from the front of the Sanicole Airshow in Belgium. Photo taken by Tom Houquet./www.dassault-aviation.com
On May 28, Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic claimed that Zagreb had agreed to buy a batch of second-hand Rafale F3-R fighter jets from France in a deal worth one billion euros ($1.2 billion). Croatia’s Air Force is aiming to replace its outdated Soviet-designed Mikoyan MiG-21 fighters.
“The purchase of the multirole fighter aircraft will strengthen Croatia’s position as a member of NATO and a partner within the European Union. For the first time, we will reach 2 percent of the GDP allocated to strengthening our defense capabilities,” Plenković said, as quoted in a statement released by his government.
In addition to the aircraft, the contract will cover weapon systems, spare parts, logistics and training.
The first six twin-engine aircraft should be delivered in 2024, and the other six Rafales should be supplied the following year.
On May 4, Egypt confirmed the signing of a contract with France to buy 30 Rafale fighter jets in a deal that investigative website Disclose said was worth $4.5bn.
On May 28, another batch of three Rafale fighter jets landed at the Ambala airbase on Thursday, taking the total number of Rafales in the Indian Air Force to 23. It is expected that the full deliveries of 36 Rafale aircraft will be completed by April 2022 as announced by Defence minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament.
On January 25, 2021, in Athens, Theodoros Lagios, Director General for Procurement and Investment of the Greek Ministry of National Defense, and Eric Trappier, head of the French company Dassault Aviation, signed a contract to supply the Greek Air Force with 18 Dassault Rafale fighters.
12 will be transferred from the French Air Force (it is assumed that 12 new aircraft will then be ordered to compensate for the French Air Force delivered to Greece), and six will be newly built Dassault Aviation F3-R series aircraft. Deliveries should begin in the summer of 2021, the contract also includes a package of technical and service support for a period of 4.5 years.
Negotiations are under way for the sale of 36 Rafale aircraft to Indonesia. Egypt, India and Qatar are planning to acquire additional consignments of the aircraft. Moreover, French Rafale is in a short list of candidates for renewal of Ukrainian fleet of fighter jets.
The Rafale has become a new export hit for the French military-industrial complex and has all chances to gain the title of one of the best-selling 4 ++ generation fighters on the world market.
The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006, gradually replacing the seven types of previous-generation combat aircraft. It has proven itself in external operations in various theatres: Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. Of the 180 aircraft ordered by France to date, 152 have been delivered.
According to Dassault, Rafale is the only totally “omnirole” aircraft in the world, able to operate from a land base or an aircraft carrier, capable of carrying 1.5 times its weight in weapons and fuel.
It can perform in a variety of missions:
- Interception and air-to-air combat using a 30-mm gun, Mica IR/EM missiles and Meteor missiles.
- Close air support using a 30-mm gun, GBU laser-guided bombs and AASM GPS-guided bombs.
- Deep strike using Scalp-Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
- Maritime strike using the Exocet AM39 Block 2 missile and other air-to-surface weapons.
- Real-time tactical and strategic reconnaissance using the Areos pod.
- Buddy-buddy in-flight refueling
- Nuclear deterrence using the ASMP-A missile.
Despite the impact of COVID pandemic and the recent death of Olivier Dassault, Dassault seems to be returning to its production targets. While selling Rafale F3 abroad, it is actively working on a new aircraft standard.
After being announced more than two years ago, French Dassault’s Rafale F4-1 standard fighter jet went through flight tests.
The trials took place at Istres airbase in southern France between April 26 and 29. Overall, two Rafale F4-1 fighter jets were tested, as part of a wider aerial component of 8 warplanes.
It was a French team effort. The trials were led by the Directorate General of Armament (DGA). Eight complex missions of 50 aircraft sorties were carried out by test crews from the DGA, the French Navy, the French Air and Space Force, and Dassault Aviation.
When the warplane was launched back in January 2019, Dassault said the F4-1 standard will include enhancements to the Thales RBE2 active electronic scanned array (AESA) radar, the Thales TALIOS long-range airborne targeting pod and the Reco NG reconnaissance pod.
In addition, the aircraft’s were upgraded with communications suite, improved pilot helmet-mounted displays and to the engine control unit.
The F4 standard marks a new step coming in the wake of the standards F1 (specific to the first aircraft of the French Navy), F2 (air-to-ground and air-to-air capabilities), F3 and F3R (extended versatility). Its validation is planned for 2024, with some functions becoming available as of 2022.
“The F4 standard guarantees that RAFALE will remain at a world-class level so that our combat air forces can carry out all their missions with optimum efficiency, whether in coalition operations or completely independently, as required by the French nuclear deterrent, stated Eric TRAPPIER. This new standard also guarantees that RAFALE will remain a credible reference on the export market. Lastly, it confirms the continuous improvement approach and helps develop the manufacturers’ skills.”
Dassault seems to be quite hype about the new warplane, and if all the promises turn out true, this is with good reason. It is a completely justified expectation.
It doesn’t have “stealth” and is not “virtually invisible” but also costs much less than a US-made F-35 fighter jet, and it would be an impressive feat if it manages to have as many issues surrounding it.
Croatia has 1billion dollars for 2hand jets? Nato puppet leadership is hated in croatia, almost nobody voted for EU or Nato-membership!!!
Croatia lost almost 500.000 young workers mostly to Germany/Austria/Sweden and Irland, due to the incompetence of the western occupier installed goverment.(for a small country of a population of 4million people a huge loss)
In Croatia since EU-Nato and fall of Jugoslavia almost nothing in Croatia is “croatian” its in the hand of EU(Germany/Austria)-Turkey-Israel, the companies, the supermarkets, the ports, the hotels, even the beaches and many other things are not croatian anymore.
The Rafale is ok, but not needed.
Rafale is better than junk,crap,disgusting su-30-35 ahahahahahaahahah…Do not whine like bitches.
Did your mother ever have any children that survived..
Did your ma ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?
yours is dancing right now and you should join her
Bitch, dont write anything when you swallow my hot-dog.Obviously you cant do both at the same time.
Did your ma ever dance without a pole?
SU-35s, SU-57 > any Nato jet, your “ahahah” just showed that your a provoking, poor, little Troll and you dont believe yourself and your statement!!!
ahaha…little turd you cant even make disinformation…pathetic putin licker ….lmao any nato jet… stupid animal fuck off to hell
Rafale은 쓰레기, 쓰레기, 역겨운
Mediocre plane, but they are not allowed to buy Russian planes and american garbage is too expensive (and too garbage)
Weasely Franch bastards joined the Eurofighter/Typhoon project only to delay it and get a window for international sales before their biggest competitor. They knew that the Eurofighter was intended as an interceptor/air superiority fighter. Omnirole fighter is a joke concept, especially when Croatia and Egypt don’t have aircraft carrier but every naval aircraft can also use land based airports. Germany should think twice before they make a joined project for new weapon platforms with the French.
There is no friendship with Germany concerning France, they stab us in the back when they have the opportunity. France was no longer the UE’s puppet and that’s a pride
Bring back the disqus.
It was much better
The Dassault sale to Croats is occurring cause US blocked a previous proposed deal between Croatia and Israel for 12 used IAF F-16’s. No public statement as why was blocked – but seems US doesn’t want Croats having the better grade of export F-16’s that US basically gave to Israel. Trust issues? Or fears of destabilizing Balkan military balance? Anyways, as it stands, the French are now beneficiaries of this secondary market export sale.