France Handed Over New Rafale Fighters to Egypt

Egypt has received a batch of Rafale F3R fighters under a contract signed with France in 2021.

This was reported by the Egyptian media. The number of aircraft in the batch was not disclosed.

The contract for the supply of 30 Rafale F3R fighter jets was signed in 2021.

It became the second large-scale aviation agreement between Cairo and Paris after the first deal in 2015. The total value is €3.75 billion.

The agreement also covers contracts for the supply of missiles manufactured by MBDA and the supply of equipment by Safran Electronics & Defense, with an estimated purchase price of another €200 million.

During 2013-2017, France sold 24 combat aircraft to Egypt, with an option to supply 12 more aircraft, which was never realized.

The F3R modification is the most modern version of Rafale, equipped with the latest navigation, communication, target detection and weapons systems. The aircraft is capable of performing a wide range of missions, from air combat to precision strikes on ground targets.