Dassault Rafale - Updates and Discussion
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L'Arabie saoudite négocie avec la France l'acquisition des avions de combat Rafale
Saudi Arabia negotiates with France for Rafale fighter jetsDUBAI, September 8 / TASS/. Saudi Arabia is discussing with France the possibility of acquiring Rafale multi-role fighter jets ("Rafal") for the Kingdom's air force, which currently uses American F-15s and European Eurofighter Typhoons. TASS reported two sources familiar with the negotiations.
According to the agency's contacts, the question of the acquisition of Rafale fighters manufactured by Dassault Aviation, in particular, was discussed at a meeting between the Saudi Defence Minister and the French Armed Forces Minister, who was on an official visit to Riyadh. According to one source, Saudi Arabia is considering buying up to 200 aircraft - depending on the terms of a potential deal to be determined by the Manufacturer.
"In the long term, the Kingdom could acquire between 100 and 200 Rafale fighters, which is roughly comparable to the number of F-15s and Eurofighter Typhoons currently in service with the air force," said the source. At the same time, the agency's interlocutor noted that negotiations between Saudi Arabia and France are at an initial stage, so the parties have not currently reached "even preliminary agreements".
According to another source, Saudi Arabia, which considered buying Rafale fighter jets in 2006 but opted for the F-15, is now seeking to diversify its sources of arms imports. "The Kingdom's authorities are gradually reviewing the approach to interaction with arms importers, so as not to be dependent on a single country", the source pointed out. According to him, Saudi Arabia's interest in Rafale fighter jets is due, among other things, to the tensions between Riyadh and Washington, and also indicates that the Kingdom wishes to limit the presence of the United States in the Middle East. At the same time, the agency's interlocutor noted that despite negotiations on the acquisition of French fighter jets, Saudi Arabia continues to be interested in the F-35, a fifth-generation American multi-purpose fighter to which Rafale does not apply.
The two sources also indicated that during negotiations between the Saudi Defence Minister and the French Armed Forces Minister, the possibility of joining Riyadh in the development of the sixth-generation FCAS / SCAF (Future Combat air System) complex had been discussed.
The key technological component of the complex is the Sixth Generation Fighter (NGF). In addition, the FCAS includes the latest aircraft engine, an advanced weapons system, the latest loyal wingman UAVs, advanced sensors and stealth technology, as well as a cloud-based data storage and transmission network.
Interests of the parties
According to sources, Saudi Arabia could interest FCAS developers by offering an amount of funding that could significantly speed up the project's implementation. For example, the Saudi authorities expect to obtain the required number of the latest fighters in the future and abandon the need to buy American F-35s. "Every year it becomes more and more difficult for the Kingdom to count on the supply of these aircraft (F-35 - approx. TASS). Given the state of relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States, which we are observing today, the US administration is unlikely to approve deliveries", said one of the agency's contacts.
According to sources, questions about the acquisition of Rafale fighters and participation in the development of the FCAS airline, in which Dassault Aviation has been given the lead role, will be discussed at a meeting between the head of France's defence department and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Visit by the French Minister for the Armed Forces to Saudi Arabia
On Friday evening, the Saudi First Deputy Head of Government and Minister of Defence, Prince Khaled Ben Salman Al Saud, met the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, who has arrived in Riyadh on an official visit. According to the Saudi Press Agency, during the talks, the ministers discussed military cooperation and joint coordination in the field of defence, as well as "strategic relations linking the two friendly countries".
On Monday, the AFP agency announced Lecornu's tour of the Gulf countries, scheduled for 6 to 11 September. In Saudi Arabia, where the French defence chief is visiting for the first time in five years, he is due to meet the Kingdom's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Ben Salmane Al Saud. At the end of his visit to Saudi Arabia, the minister plans to travel to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
According to the agency, Lekornu will hold talks with the Kuwaiti Defence Minister, Sheikh Ahmed Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, and the UAE Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Ben Ahmed Al-Bawardi.
Rafales on the upswing? French fighter eyes additional Mideast sales
MILAN — The United States’ dominance of the combat aircraft industry could see increased competition as the French hope to bolster their slice of the pie. With a German veto blocking Eurofighter deliveries to Saudi Arabia, and amid Israel’s persistent opposition to any F-35 sale to Qatar, this may be French firm Dassault’s opportunity to further push its fighter in the region.In July, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu visited Qatar where he met with the emir in hopes of strengthening their strategic partnership through operational and industrial cooperation.
Following the trip, reports emerged that Qatar may opt to purchase an additional 24 Rafale from Dassault, which would bring the country’s fleet to 60, having acquired an initial batch of 24 in 2015 and another 12 in 2017. Although Qatar’s Defense Ministry hasn’t announced its decision, analysts have told Defense News such as sale appears likely.
“That they would come back to the table seeking another order is relatively unsurprising considering they already have the Rafale as well as another French-designed and -built type — the Mirage 2000-5 — in their fighter inventory,” said Dan Darling, the director of military and defense markets at Forecast International.
Qatar would want a fleet of 60 Rafales for two reasons, Darling explained: for stronger deterrence capabilities and for political purposes. There is a political element attached to major defense purchases, he said, where Qatar “buys” influence with the exporting nation and vice versa.
Richard Aboulafia, a managing director at Aerodynamic Advisory who has tracked aircraft programs for more than 30 years, agrees the diplomatic benefits are key.
“They [the Qatari government] view fighter aircraft as an opportunity to purchase a strategic relationship, and given their recent history with Gulf neighbors, these are extremely important for Qatar,” he said, referring to a recent diplomatic crisis that saw several nations accuse Doha of funding terrorist groups. “It isn’t [about] the Rafales.”
Experts, however, diverge over who could be the next customer of the Rafale in the greater Middle East. For Aboulafia, Saudi Arabia appears to be the logical contender, even if the U.S. agrees to sell F-35s to the kingdom.
“They [Saudis] already source F-15s from the U.S. and of course want F-35s. But as they are eager to continue their dual-source decision, they’ll want to buy another aircraft from another provider. Eurofighter tranche 2 is on hold. There’s really nobody else other than France,” he said.
Earlier this summer, while Germany relaxed arms restrictions on Saudi Arabia, it remained firm in blocking deliveries of the Eurofighter to the kingdom. The twin-engine aircraft is made by a consortium of French firm Airbus, British business BAE Systems and Italian company Leonardo.
Germany’s decision appeared to have irked the U.K., given four years ago the British foreign secretary demanded Germany lift its restraints on weapons transfers because they stood to hurt the British defense industry. BAE Systems is one of the largest private sector employers in Saudi Arabia, where it employs 5,300 Saudis — 57% of its total workforce there.
Although Germany’s Eurofighter veto could benefit Dassault in the absence of other competition, Darling said Saudi Arabia may not have a vested interest in the French jet because it fairly recently purchased more than 80 American-made F-15 fighters, upgraded legacy versions, and has expressed interest in buying the F-35 and joining the Global Combat Air Program. The latter is a trilateral effort involving the U.K., Japan and Italy to develop a sixth-generation fighter.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Iran are trying to improve diplomatic relations, with the latter’s foreign affairs minister visiting the kingdom Aug. 17. However, Gaspard Schnitzler, a research fellow at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, said it’s unlikely this would hinder or stop France from selling the Rafale to Saudi Arabia.
It’s possible pressure from public opinion or potential monetary risks could interfere with such a sale, “but we have to keep in mind that for years now, the Gulf has been one of the major export areas for French weapons,” he added.
A more probable export opportunity for the Rafale, besides in Qatar, would be a top-up order by Egypt in light of the collapsed deal with Russia for Su-35 aircraft that fell through over U.S. sanctions, said Darling. Cairo last placed an order for 30 additional Rafales in 2021, bringing its fleet number to 54.
But no matter how well-placed the Rafale seems, an additional order from Qatar or its neighbors does not necessarily signal a declining demand for the fifth-generation fighter. Aboulafia and and Darling agreed that F-35 interest in the Middle East remains strong.
Several Arab states would indeed purchase the F-35 were it not for Israel’s strict opposition. For instance, Qatar in 2020 reportedly made a formal request for the Lockheed Martin jet, which was closely followed by Israel declaring it would oppose any F-35 sale by the U.S. to the Gulf country. A concrete deal has yet to materialize.
“The main question is whether the U.S. would even be willing to sell the F-35 to Doha. It has been wary about F-35 sales to Arab states, primarily because of its commitment to ensuring Israel’s qualitative military edge over its neighbors and rivals in the region,” Darling said.
The same approach has applied to Saudi Arabia’s interest in the F-35.
“Saudi Arabia would love F-35s, but unless the Biden administration offers them as part of a deal that involves normalized relations with Israel, it won’t happen for a few more years at least,” Aboulafia said. “None of these difficulties are in play in Europe, so European countries can just order F-35s without worry about disapproval.”
A lot of Israeli bureaucrats are gonna suffer from the trich if this comes to pass.
100-200 Rafales will replace the older F-15s, and SCAF can replace all the Typhoons and newer F-15s. But the Rafale and SCAF deals will give way to the F-35.
MBS could have done this right from the start instead of getting strung along by the US all these years.
Le ministre français des Armées évoque des « projets industriels innovants » avec l’Arabie Saoudite
France's Minister of Defence talks of "innovative industrial projects" with Saudi Arabia
BY LAURENT LAGNEAU - 9 SEPTEMBER 2023
Over the period 2013-2022, Saudi Arabia placed a total of €9.5 billion worth of orders with the French arms industry, thanks in particular to contracts won in 2013 [for €1.9 billion] and 2014 [for €3.6 billion].
That said, this result may be misleading... because sales of French military equipment to Riyadh are tending to run out of steam. Last year, according to the 2023 edition of the report to Parliament on arms exports, they amounted to "just" €164.9 million. And since 2018, there have been ups and downs.
At the same time, while the United States and the United Kingdom have until now been the main suppliers to its armed forces, Saudi Arabia is seeking to diversify its sources of supply, particularly from China... and, more recently, from Turkey, with the signing of a major export and cooperation agreement concerning the Akinci MALE [Medium Altitude Long Endurance] drone.
This policy is largely explained by the increasingly tense relations between Riyadh and Washington, particularly since Joe Biden took office. Biden had said that he wanted to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" on the international stage, because of its military intervention in Yemen and the murder of [Saudi] journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. And all in the name of defending democratic values and human rights...
Then Mr Biden changed his mind in July 2022, explaining that his aim was to "redirect" rather than "sever" ties with Saudi Arabia, the objective being to convince it to increase its oil production to calm the surge in barrel prices caused by the war in Ukraine. But a few months later, having failed to get what he wanted, the American President once again spoke of "reassessing" the United States' relationship with the kingdom.
Furthermore, in Congress, US arms sales to Saudi Arabia are now regularly criticised... In October 2022, two Democratic members of parliament, Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Ro Khanna, attempted to pass a bill to ban them. This could have grounded a large number of the fighter jets of the Royal Saudi Air Force [RSAF], which has more than 200 F-15E fighter-bombers.
Obviously, this can only encourage Riyadh to consider other ways of modernising its military capabilities. Especially as there are also difficulties with the United Kingdom, which for a time suspended its arms sales to Saudi Arabia before deciding to resume them in June 2020. What's more, the purchase of 48 to 70 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets for the RSAF is not about to go ahead... because the British are dependent on a green light from Germany, which has no intention of giving it...
What's more, Saudi Arabia recently suffered another setback when Japan refused to include it in the Global Combat Air Programme [GCAP], a joint project with the UK and Italy to develop a 6th generation fighter aircraft.
Against this backdrop, a rumour has been swirling for several months [and particularly in the last two or three weeks]. It claims that Saudi Arabia could turn to France to bolster its air force by acquiring 100 to 200 Rafales. In any case, it is credible enough to have been mentioned by the specialist American magazine Defense News. And it is possible that it is linked to Mr Biden's intention to offer Riyadh a new defence agreement [with arms sales at stake] in exchange for its recognition of Israel...
Be that as it may, during a visit to Riyadh on 8 September, the French Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, said that he had had "fruitful discussions on security and stability in the Gulf and beyond" with Kalid ben Salman, his Saudi counterpart.
He added, without giving further details: "We share the same desire to deepen our bilateral military relationship and to develop innovative industrial projects together".
There are many areas of defence cooperation... But it is tempting to think that the Rafale was mentioned by the two leaders...
However, for his part, the Saudi minister did not talk about "innovative projects", but rather about "opportunities for cooperation and joint coordination in military areas" and "ways of strengthening and developing them".
On this point, the latest report to Parliament on French exports of military equipment notes that "in the Near and Middle East, various factors [the search for greater autonomy following certain arms embargoes by European countries during the conflict in Yemen, anticipation of the end of the oil windfall, the need to develop a social and economic policy, etc.] have led certain countries to put in place, alongside arms contracts, measures designed to develop their defence industry locally".
Thus, he continues, "this is the case with Saudi Arabia, as part of the 'Vision 2030' project to diversify its economy and develop local industry, notably through technology transfers and production as part of defence procurement".
It should be noted that, after receiving him at the Élysée Palace last June [and for the second time in a year], President Macron will be meeting the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohamed Ben Salmane, at the G20 summit currently being held in India.
France's Minister of Defence talks of "innovative industrial projects" with Saudi Arabia
BY LAURENT LAGNEAU - 9 SEPTEMBER 2023
Over the period 2013-2022, Saudi Arabia placed a total of €9.5 billion worth of orders with the French arms industry, thanks in particular to contracts won in 2013 [for €1.9 billion] and 2014 [for €3.6 billion].
That said, this result may be misleading... because sales of French military equipment to Riyadh are tending to run out of steam. Last year, according to the 2023 edition of the report to Parliament on arms exports, they amounted to "just" €164.9 million. And since 2018, there have been ups and downs.
At the same time, while the United States and the United Kingdom have until now been the main suppliers to its armed forces, Saudi Arabia is seeking to diversify its sources of supply, particularly from China... and, more recently, from Turkey, with the signing of a major export and cooperation agreement concerning the Akinci MALE [Medium Altitude Long Endurance] drone.
This policy is largely explained by the increasingly tense relations between Riyadh and Washington, particularly since Joe Biden took office. Biden had said that he wanted to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" on the international stage, because of its military intervention in Yemen and the murder of [Saudi] journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. And all in the name of defending democratic values and human rights...
Then Mr Biden changed his mind in July 2022, explaining that his aim was to "redirect" rather than "sever" ties with Saudi Arabia, the objective being to convince it to increase its oil production to calm the surge in barrel prices caused by the war in Ukraine. But a few months later, having failed to get what he wanted, the American President once again spoke of "reassessing" the United States' relationship with the kingdom.
Furthermore, in Congress, US arms sales to Saudi Arabia are now regularly criticised... In October 2022, two Democratic members of parliament, Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Ro Khanna, attempted to pass a bill to ban them. This could have grounded a large number of the fighter jets of the Royal Saudi Air Force [RSAF], which has more than 200 F-15E fighter-bombers.
Obviously, this can only encourage Riyadh to consider other ways of modernising its military capabilities. Especially as there are also difficulties with the United Kingdom, which for a time suspended its arms sales to Saudi Arabia before deciding to resume them in June 2020. What's more, the purchase of 48 to 70 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets for the RSAF is not about to go ahead... because the British are dependent on a green light from Germany, which has no intention of giving it...
What's more, Saudi Arabia recently suffered another setback when Japan refused to include it in the Global Combat Air Programme [GCAP], a joint project with the UK and Italy to develop a 6th generation fighter aircraft.
Against this backdrop, a rumour has been swirling for several months [and particularly in the last two or three weeks]. It claims that Saudi Arabia could turn to France to bolster its air force by acquiring 100 to 200 Rafales. In any case, it is credible enough to have been mentioned by the specialist American magazine Defense News. And it is possible that it is linked to Mr Biden's intention to offer Riyadh a new defence agreement [with arms sales at stake] in exchange for its recognition of Israel...
Be that as it may, during a visit to Riyadh on 8 September, the French Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, said that he had had "fruitful discussions on security and stability in the Gulf and beyond" with Kalid ben Salman, his Saudi counterpart.
He added, without giving further details: "We share the same desire to deepen our bilateral military relationship and to develop innovative industrial projects together".
There are many areas of defence cooperation... But it is tempting to think that the Rafale was mentioned by the two leaders...
However, for his part, the Saudi minister did not talk about "innovative projects", but rather about "opportunities for cooperation and joint coordination in military areas" and "ways of strengthening and developing them".
On this point, the latest report to Parliament on French exports of military equipment notes that "in the Near and Middle East, various factors [the search for greater autonomy following certain arms embargoes by European countries during the conflict in Yemen, anticipation of the end of the oil windfall, the need to develop a social and economic policy, etc.] have led certain countries to put in place, alongside arms contracts, measures designed to develop their defence industry locally".
Thus, he continues, "this is the case with Saudi Arabia, as part of the 'Vision 2030' project to diversify its economy and develop local industry, notably through technology transfers and production as part of defence procurement".
It should be noted that, after receiving him at the Élysée Palace last June [and for the second time in a year], President Macron will be meeting the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohamed Ben Salmane, at the G20 summit currently being held in India.
First Croatian Air Force Rafale B flying
First Croatian Air Force Rafale B flying On 14 September 2023, the first Hrvatske Zračne Snage (Croatian Air Force) Dassault Rafale B was photographed while landing at Base aérienn...
#logistics footprint
A single A400M may be sufficient to “project” three Rafale 2,600 km from their base autonomously
Highlighted in particular on the occasion of the PEGASE mission [Projection of an EnverGure aerial device in South-East Asia] carried out in July with ten Rafales, five A330 MRTT “Phoenix” tanker aircraft and 4 A400M transport aircraft “Atlas”, the MORANE operational concept will most likely be fashionable in the coming weeks, especially as the Air & Space Force [AAE] wants to regain the ability to disperse its air assets so that they are less vulnerable to possible enemy strikes.
Concretely, the MORANE concept must make it possible to deploy combat aircraft with the lightest possible logistical footprint, in order to gain responsiveness. Which means only bringing what is strictly necessary. Hence the experiment which has just been carried out during the Eunomia 23 air exercise, organized in Greece.
Thus, on September 11, three Rafales from the 4th fighter wing took off from Saint-Dizier air base 113 to reach Tanagra, forty kilometers from Athens. And, for the first time, explains the AAE, an A400M “Atlas”, belonging to transport squadron 4/61 “Béarn”, “conveyed fighter planes”.
More precisely, this A400M “autonomously ensured the transport of the three Rafales, to project them nearly 2,600 km” from their base. Clearly, explains a pilot from 4/61 “Béarn”, this transport “made it possible to refuel the Rafales in flight and to transport their technical packages and their personnel so that the detachment is autonomous on site”.
Equipped with refueling pods mounted at the wingtip and flexible hoses, the A400M was able to transfer fuel to two Rafales simultaneously. In total, according to AAE, the Atlas involved in Eunomia “recorded around fifteen contacts”.
The in-flight refueling phases were carried out by the Tactical Transport Aircraft Mark Team [EMATT] of the Military Air Expertise Center [CEAM], which took the opportunity to “evaluate the procedures specific to the transport of fighter aircraft ". And they also made it possible to qualify the crews for this type of mission.
That being said, the MORANE concept involves sharing know-how with allied forces. Moreover, the Tanagra base was not chosen at random since it is home to the Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale squadrons of the Greek air force.
And this is what made it possible to reduce the logistical footprint of the three planes of the 4th wing to only… 3.5 tonnes of freight given that the French detachment was able to rely on the “logistical and maintenance means of our Greek partners, admits the AAE. /deepl
It's always a good idea to choose ITAR-free equipment.
Otherwise, why did the Egyptians and the United Arab Emirates use their M2000s rather than their F-16s in Libya?
I mean, it must have been due to restrictions imposed by the US.
(Notwithstanding the fact that the M2000 is better than the F-16, of course
)
French arrogance.It's always a good idea to choose ITAR-free equipment.
Otherwise, why did the Egyptians and the United Arab Emirates use their M2000s rather than their F-16s in Libya?
I mean, it must have been due to restrictions imposed by the US.
(Notwithstanding the fact that the M2000 is better than the F-16, of course
The SCAF will only go as far as the demonstrator. The Rafale F5 will be the "NGF" of a national French SCAF. The successor to this national SCAF will be an SCAF developed with other non-European countries, which may include India, the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia, and others as appropriate.
France will leave Europe and apply for BRICS membership 
Macron is your enemy.
France will leave Europe and apply for BRICS membership
Geography is your enemy.
France is a natural member of BRICS though. But if a FREXIT does happen, you will end up surrendering Europe to Germany entirely. France will be fulfilling the lifelong dream of the Kaiser and the Fuhrer.
With that said, I honestly don't believe France needs a partner for SCAF. It could become a bigger export success than Rafale in the post-2050 world.
Or BREXIT membership.France will leave Europe and apply for BRICS membership
Airplanes for a billion euros: the head of HRZ personally tests the Rafale offered by the French on an official trip
France offered Croatia 12 highly sophisticated used Dassault Rafale fighter jets
Published: September 26, 2020 09:46 AM
A high-ranking delegation from the Croatian Air Force is in France these days, to get a first-hand look at the Rafale fighter jets that France has offered Croatia as part of its purchase of new multirole combat aircraft.
The Croatian delegation includes the Commander of the HRZ, General Michael Križanec, the Commander of the HRZ 93rd Wing at the Zemunik base, Brigadier General Željko Ninić, and the Commander of the HRZ Fighter Squadron, Colonel Christian Jagodić.
As Slobodna Dalmacija has learned, they will personally "test", i.e. check the technical condition of 12 used Dassault Rafale aircraft to the latest F3R operational standard, offered to Croatia for around one billion euros.
According to military analyst Jan Ivanjek, the French aircraft is undoubtedly the most powerful and lethal offered to Croatia.
The Americans have offered us new F-16 Block 70s for 1.8 billion dollars, the Swedes have offered us used Gripena C/Ds for around one billion euros, and the Israelis have offered us used F-16 Baraks for around one billion dollars.
Principles except details
The start of the process mentioned is part of the overall three-month process of evaluating and validating the bids received for the acquisition of a multirole fighter aircraft - the Ministry of Defense has confirmed to us. - Given that the above-mentioned processes refer to classified data, both on our side and on the bidder's side, while the evaluation and selection process is underway, we are not in a position to present any details to the public.
We asked the Ministry of Defense for more information on the program of our military experts' stay in France and their experience with Rafale fighter jets, and they briefly replied that, once the process is complete, the inter-ministerial commission will make a decision and propose it to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and that the public will be informed in due course.
Due to their impressive performance, Rafales are considered by many to be ideal for Croatian needs. According to Jan Ivanjek, the proposed Rafales still have more than half of their flight resources, currently amounting to 7,000 flight hours. Croatia, on the other hand, would benefit from extended resources of 9,000 flight hours. The French fighter only entered operational service in 2007, and France intends to use it until 2060.
Like the American F-16, the Block 70, the Rafale belongs to the 4.5 generation of fighter aircraft and features the most modern radar (AESA, RBE2 AA) and sensor (IRST, OSF in the nose of the aircraft) systems, capable of detecting airborne targets up to 100 kilometers away, without any electromagnetic emissions. The Rafale is the only candidate designed as an aircraft with reduced radar reflection, which is just 0.1 square meters, compared with the F-16's reflection of around 1 square meter.
Electronic warfare
A key feature of the French aircraft is the SPECTRA integrated electronic warfare system, which also reduces radar reflection (stealth) and detects and warns of incoming radar, infrared and laser guided missiles, locates enemy electromagnetic emissions and interferes with radars.
Compared with the other contenders, the Rafale is the only one to feature two Snecma M88 engines with the highest total power of 150 kilonewtons, enabling it to carry the most lethal payload, up to 9,500 kilograms on 14 payload points. Thanks to its engine power and aerodynamics, it is the only candidate capable of supercruising, i.e. maintaining supersonic speed without afterburning, up to Mach 1.4 with six air-to-air missiles.
Rafales demonstrated their capabilities during combat operations in Libya, where they were the only aircraft to successfully complete their tasks without the escort of other fighters and anti-radar and air defense suppression aircraft.
According to military experts, the cost per flying hour of the used Rafale version offered to Croatia should not exceed 17 to 18 thousand euros.
In the last attempt to acquire combat aircraft, Croatian military experts visited Israel and discovered a modified version of the American F-16 called the Barak, which they eventually had to abandon.
The new purchase attempt obviously includes a visit to all bidders and a direct presentation of the models and aircraft offered to Croatia.
22 billion in arguments
Our interlocutors emphasize that the French offer did not appear by chance at a time when Croatia was receiving generous financial aid from the European Union to overcome the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Although the United States has donated hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons and military equipment to Croatia in recent years, the 22 billion euros in European aid to Croatia is a much stronger argument in the context of Croatia's decision to opt for fighter jets.
Not only because France, along with Germany, is the main European axis of the EU and NATO alliance, but also because of the notorious fact that US President Trump has devoted his entire term in office to worsening relations with this international military organization.
In such a constellation of relations, and given the uncertainty of the US elections in November, Croatia's decision on the Rafale would be a strong message of strategic commitment to the values of the EU and the NATO alliance, concludes Slobodna Dalmacija.
France offered Croatia 12 highly sophisticated used Dassault Rafale fighter jets
Published: September 26, 2020 09:46 AM
A high-ranking delegation from the Croatian Air Force is in France these days, to get a first-hand look at the Rafale fighter jets that France has offered Croatia as part of its purchase of new multirole combat aircraft.
The Croatian delegation includes the Commander of the HRZ, General Michael Križanec, the Commander of the HRZ 93rd Wing at the Zemunik base, Brigadier General Željko Ninić, and the Commander of the HRZ Fighter Squadron, Colonel Christian Jagodić.
As Slobodna Dalmacija has learned, they will personally "test", i.e. check the technical condition of 12 used Dassault Rafale aircraft to the latest F3R operational standard, offered to Croatia for around one billion euros.
According to military analyst Jan Ivanjek, the French aircraft is undoubtedly the most powerful and lethal offered to Croatia.
The Americans have offered us new F-16 Block 70s for 1.8 billion dollars, the Swedes have offered us used Gripena C/Ds for around one billion euros, and the Israelis have offered us used F-16 Baraks for around one billion dollars.
Principles except details
The start of the process mentioned is part of the overall three-month process of evaluating and validating the bids received for the acquisition of a multirole fighter aircraft - the Ministry of Defense has confirmed to us. - Given that the above-mentioned processes refer to classified data, both on our side and on the bidder's side, while the evaluation and selection process is underway, we are not in a position to present any details to the public.
We asked the Ministry of Defense for more information on the program of our military experts' stay in France and their experience with Rafale fighter jets, and they briefly replied that, once the process is complete, the inter-ministerial commission will make a decision and propose it to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and that the public will be informed in due course.
Due to their impressive performance, Rafales are considered by many to be ideal for Croatian needs. According to Jan Ivanjek, the proposed Rafales still have more than half of their flight resources, currently amounting to 7,000 flight hours. Croatia, on the other hand, would benefit from extended resources of 9,000 flight hours. The French fighter only entered operational service in 2007, and France intends to use it until 2060.
Like the American F-16, the Block 70, the Rafale belongs to the 4.5 generation of fighter aircraft and features the most modern radar (AESA, RBE2 AA) and sensor (IRST, OSF in the nose of the aircraft) systems, capable of detecting airborne targets up to 100 kilometers away, without any electromagnetic emissions. The Rafale is the only candidate designed as an aircraft with reduced radar reflection, which is just 0.1 square meters, compared with the F-16's reflection of around 1 square meter.
Electronic warfare
A key feature of the French aircraft is the SPECTRA integrated electronic warfare system, which also reduces radar reflection (stealth) and detects and warns of incoming radar, infrared and laser guided missiles, locates enemy electromagnetic emissions and interferes with radars.
Compared with the other contenders, the Rafale is the only one to feature two Snecma M88 engines with the highest total power of 150 kilonewtons, enabling it to carry the most lethal payload, up to 9,500 kilograms on 14 payload points. Thanks to its engine power and aerodynamics, it is the only candidate capable of supercruising, i.e. maintaining supersonic speed without afterburning, up to Mach 1.4 with six air-to-air missiles.
Rafales demonstrated their capabilities during combat operations in Libya, where they were the only aircraft to successfully complete their tasks without the escort of other fighters and anti-radar and air defense suppression aircraft.
According to military experts, the cost per flying hour of the used Rafale version offered to Croatia should not exceed 17 to 18 thousand euros.
In the last attempt to acquire combat aircraft, Croatian military experts visited Israel and discovered a modified version of the American F-16 called the Barak, which they eventually had to abandon.
The new purchase attempt obviously includes a visit to all bidders and a direct presentation of the models and aircraft offered to Croatia.
22 billion in arguments
Our interlocutors emphasize that the French offer did not appear by chance at a time when Croatia was receiving generous financial aid from the European Union to overcome the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Although the United States has donated hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons and military equipment to Croatia in recent years, the 22 billion euros in European aid to Croatia is a much stronger argument in the context of Croatia's decision to opt for fighter jets.
Not only because France, along with Germany, is the main European axis of the EU and NATO alliance, but also because of the notorious fact that US President Trump has devoted his entire term in office to worsening relations with this international military organization.
In such a constellation of relations, and given the uncertainty of the US elections in November, Croatia's decision on the Rafale would be a strong message of strategic commitment to the values of the EU and the NATO alliance, concludes Slobodna Dalmacija.