TSAMTO, February 2. Dassault Aviation announced the signing of an agreement for the supply of 12 Rafale fighters of the latest F3R standard for the French Armed Forces.
The document was signed by Eric Trappier, the company's Chief Executive Officer, and Florence Parly, the French Minister of the Armed Forces.
The agreement was signed on January 29 during a visit by the French Minister of the Armed Forces to the Dassault Aviation de Argonay plant in Haute-Savoie, which has been producing flight control systems for all Dassault aircraft since 1963. As planned, the General Directorate of Armaments of the Ministry of the Armed Forces (DGA) will provide the first orders to Dassault Aviation, Safran and Thales in February.
The ordered aircraft will replace 12 Rafale fighters, which will be delivered from the French Air Force to Greece. The cost of the fighters was not disclosed. It is planned that the work will be completed in 2025. The delivery will be made after the transfer of 28 aircraft, planned by the "Law on Military Programs for 2019-2025" in 2022-2024.
As stated, the contract for the supply of 12 new aircraft will allow the French Aerospace Forces to continue production of the Rafale in anticipation of the order for the fifth tranche, delivery of which is planned for the period from 2027 to 2030.
The contract satisfied Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran and 500 other French companies participating in the program, given the difficult conditions they faced in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. The additional order will ensure the operation of the Rafal production chain until December 2025.
The new order will increase the fleet of Rafale fighters of the French Aerospace Forces to 129 aircraft with improved capabilities by the end of 2025, in accordance with the provisions of the "Law on Military Programs for 2019-2025".
As reported by TSAMTO, on January 25, in Athens, The Director General of Arms and Investments of the Greek Ministry of Defense, Theodoros Lagios, and the Chief Executive Officer of Dassault Aviation, Eric Trappier, signed a contract worth about 1.92 billion rubles. euro ($2.35 billion) for the supply of 18 Dassault multi-role Rafale fighters to the Greek Air Force. The Greek Air Force will receive 6 new fighters and 12 aircraft from the French Air Force (10 single-seat and two two-seat). As previously stated, to replace the aircraft transferred to the Greek Air Force, the Ministry of the Armed Forces will purchase new fighters.
