This second contract entered into force Monday, November 15: Egypt completes a first order from France for 24 Rafale to equip its air force.
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Egypt already had 24, here are 30 more: a total of 54 Rafale combat aircraft will therefore come to refresh the Egyptian fleet. This makes it the second aviation in the world, behind France, to have so many aircraft of this type. Egypt is investing at a time when the geopolitical context is straining in the region. The country relies heavily on the Rafale to ensure its role in full sovereignty and to hold its place in the international arena.
This second contract for Rafale officially amounts to some four billion euros. It includes planes but also missiles and various services, with the creation of 7,000 jobs in France. It is both a very good commercial transaction for Dassault Aviation and a crucial strategic agreement for Paris on a geopolitical level: the two countries are working hand in hand to ensure stability in southern Europe and in the Mediterranean, in terms of in the fight against terrorism in particular. Not to mention the supply to Europe. 20,000 merchant ships pass through the Suez Canal each year.
Paris will help Cairo with the payment of these contracts. To buy us the Rafale, Egypt will go into debt over ten years. And it will do so thanks to direct support from the French Treasury which will stand surety for the loans contracted by Cairo.
Other Rafale orders are in the pipeline. Two projects are underway: the delivery of 36 devices to Qatar for 6.3 billion euros – the last one to be delivered in April. Ditto for India (8 billion euros), delivery until 2022. As for Greece, in January it became the very first European customer of the Rafale for 18 used aircraft and six new ones for 2.3 billion euros. Croatia will follow with twelve second-hand Rafale acquired from the French army.