French Group Poised to Sign Deal With Qatar on 36 Rafale

[Zarvan]

A French-made Mirage 2000 jet fighter takes off from a highway in southern Chiayi county during the annual Han Kuang drill on September 16, 2014.(AFP)



PARIS: French group Dassault Aviation is poised to sign a lucrative deal with Qatar for 36 of its Rafale fighter jets, sources close to the negotiations said today, the third foreign order this year.

The deal, which will be signed in the coming days, includes a firm order for 24 jets with an option on 12 other planes, said the sources, who wished to remain anonymous.

Having struggled for years to sell any of its Rafale jets abroad, Dassault has recently scored several multi-billion-euro, high-profile contracts with Egypt, India, and now Qatar.

Earlier this year, Egypt bought 24 Rafales in a 5.2-billion-euro ($5.8-billion) deal negotiated in just three months, prompting hopes in Paris that the agreement would act as a catalyst to unblock hoped-for sales to other countries.


Sure enough, India followed suit and this month announced the order of 36 Rafale jets during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France.

Dassault is also involved in talks with the United Arab Emirates, and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has recently hinted that these are evolving "in the right direction."
Story First Published: April 30, 2015 12:59 IST
French Group Poised to Sign Deal With Qatar on 36 Rafale Jets

 

[Archie]

So thats orders for 24+36+36 Rafales in 4 Months of 2015,

It seems that Hollande is making it rain

this combined order of 96 Aircrafts could allow the French to postpone their own orders to 2020, Allowing Dassault to expand capacity from 11 aircraft a year to 30 aircrafts a year, and keeping the production line open till year 2025

 

[volatile]

Good Job Rafael team ,One thing which I hate to say that Rafael bombing in Libya and other conflict killing innocent as well as unarmed people was major turner for this jet .Perhaps there is no ethical marketing left.

 

[Gabriel92]

The President will go on May 4th to Qatar to sign the deal !
Goodwork! @Taygibay Dommage que Marcel Dassault n'est pas là pour voir ça...

 

[slng]

It's good news indeed for Qatar. Should enjoy ToT too if possible.

 

[airmarshal]

Good news for Dassault and good news for Qatar. Rafale indeed is a good aircraft.

 

[monitor]

After Egypt and India , Now Qatar places order for 24 Rafale fighter jets
Published April 30, 2015 | By admin
SOURCE: AP

France has announced a 6.3-billion-euro ($7 billion) deal to sell 24 Rafale fighter jets to Qatar. The deal is to be signed next Monday in Qatar’s capital, Doha, in the presence of the French president, Francois Hollande, presidency services announced Thursday.

With this sale, French arms exports already exceed 15 billion euros ($16.8 billion) this year, a defense official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Qatar becomes the third buyer of France’s delta-winged Rafale, manufactured by Dassault Aviation.

India has announced plans to buy 36 Rafale earlier this month and Egypt bought 24 Rafale in February.

 

[mingle]

UAE also in talks with france and Hollande is in saudia too may fetch some orders from them too .Seems like ball is rolling at full speed for french F 16 is out from middleeast i read in Forbs .May be pakistan for F 16 with gulf money .let finger crossed