Egypt announces deal to purchase 30 Rafale fighters from France

Earlier Monday, the investigative website Disclose said the deal was worth €3.75 billion ($4.52 billion).

Egypt signed an agreement to purchase 30 Rafale fighter jets from France, according to the country’s armed forces spokesperson on Monday evening, 3 May 2021. 

“In the context of the political leadership’s interest in developing the state’s comprehensive forces, Egypt and France have signed a contract through the Egyptian Armed Forces and the French Dassault Aviation Company to supply 30 Rafale aircraft,” Egyptian Armed Forces Military Spokesman Tamer Al-Rifai said in a statement, adding “The concluded contract will be financed through a loan with a minimum term of 10 years.”

Tamer al-Refai noted that the deal was made through a financing loan to be repaid over at least 10 years.

“The concluded contract will be financed through a financing loan with a minimum term of 10 years.”

Al-Refai also recalled that a similar agreement on the purchase of 24 Rafale fighter jets was made between Cairo and Paris in 2015.

“During the year 2015, Egypt and France concluded a contract to supply 24 Rafale aircraft for the Egyptian Air Force, which represents Egypt’s long arm to secure the Egyptian national interests,” Al-Rifai said, adding “It is worth noting that the Rafale aircraft are characterized by high combat capabilities that include the ability to carry out long-range missions, as well as possession of an advanced armament system, high maneuverability, and multiplicity of weapons systems, in addition to their distinctiveness with an advanced electronic warfare system that enables them to be able to carry out all the tasks entrusted to them efficiently.”

Mahmoud Gamal, a blogger and military affairs writer, tweeted, saying: “BIG NEWS: Egypt has reached an agreement with France for the purchase of 30 additional Rafale fighter jets worth €3.9 billion, according to Disclose investigative website. The deal includes €200 million contract destined for buying equipment & munitions package for the jets.”

The investigative website Disclose said the deal was worth €3.75 billion ($4.52 billion). It also revealed that a major weapons sale by France to Egypt was “secretly” signed on April 26 at the request of Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Besides the warplane agreement, the deal agreed to between the two states also concerns two other contracts with the France-based missile manufacturing consortium MBDA and avionics firm Safran Electronics & Defense, with a total worth of €200 million ($240.8 million).

As a result, the total value of last month’s deal was €3.95 billion ($4.75 billion). Disclose also noted that the Egyptian state has obtained a loan of which 85% is to be guaranteed by France.