In a recent development that could bring French fighter jets back into the spotlight after the Rafale’s reputation suffered a decline following the India-Pakistan clashes, the French daily La Tribune revealed that Egypt had submitted an official request to Dassault Aviation to purchase 24 additional Rafale fighter jets.
The potential deal would be the third of its kind between Cairo and the French company, bringing the total number of Rafale fighter jets in service in Egypt to 78.
The order would cover 24 aircraft, although Dassault Aviation has declined to comment on the information at this stage.
After becoming the first foreign customer to purchase Rafales in 2015, with an order for 24 aircraft, Egypt subsequently placed a new order for 30 Rafales in 2021. The latter purchase, worth nearly 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion), was spread over 10 years through a loan 85% guaranteed by France.
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Why pursue such a deal while Egypt is facing financial difficulties?
The answer lies in Cairo’s need to replace its aging F-16 fleet, with some 200 aircraft still in service, including models dating back to the 1980s.
The potential sale also comes amid a broader rapprochement between France and Egypt, highlighted by French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Egypt in April 2025.
The agreement under consideration faces financial and technical obstacles. The two previous contracts were based on 10-year loans guaranteed by the French government, while an additional option, included in the 2015 contract for the purchase of 12 additional fighter jets, was canceled in 2017 following reservations expressed by France’s Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Technically, the two previous deliveries involved the F-3R version, while Egypt could be targeting the newer F-4 model under this new agreement. This raises questions about the production capacity of the Rafale assembly line at the plant in Merignac, which is already under considerable pressure from ongoing delivery commitments to India, Indonesia and Serbia, not to mention the French Air Force’s fleet modernization program.
If this agreement is finalized, Egypt’s total Rafale order will reach 78 aircraft, thereby consolidating its position as the leading foreign buyer of this French fighter aircraft.
