Croatia has signed a contract for the purchase of 12 French-made Dassault Rafale fighters. The new aircraft will replace the Soviet MiG-21s of the Croatian Air Force. This is reported by the Defense Blog with reference to the Dassault Aviation concern.
The company's message noted that the relevant contracts were signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Croatia. Two contracts were signed by French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly and Croatian Defense Minister Mario Banojic.
The agreement involves the transfer of 12 Rafale fighters from the presence of the French Aerospace Forces (VKS). The French side will also provide the supply of spare parts, personnel training and aircraft maintenance for three years.
In 2017, the Croatian Ministry of Defense sent out a request for proposals for the purchase of 12 aircraft. The new fighters are designed to replace 12 Soviet-made MiG-21bis and MiG-21UM aircraft. The Croatian Air Force considered American F-16 fighters, Swedish SAAB JAS-39 Gripen and South Korean FA-50 aircraft.
In September, the South African magazine Ultimate Defense compared the combat capabilities of the Rafale and the Russian Su-35 fighter. The publication noted that maneuverability and the best avionics will provide the advantage of the Su-35 in air combat.
Daniil Irinin
