France buys more Rafales
January 2023 and France’s Armed forces announced that it has ordered another 42 Rafales in a deal worth over 5 billion Euro. With the Future Combat Air System – the replacement for the Rafale, about to be build by France and Germany – not expected to enter service somewhere between 2045 and 2050, the newly ordered Rafales will make sure that France’s aerial defence will stay strong. This will bring the number of Rafales ordered by France to 234.
The Rafale entered the French Navy in 2004 and the Armée de l’Air in 2006. It is also in service with many other air forces, such as those of Greece, Egypt, Croatia, India and Qatar. At the moment of the announcement, over 260 of the type are on order, of which 80 are to fly in the colours of the United Arab Emirates Air Force and 42 in those of the Indonesian Air Force. Who has seen the Rafale in action during an airshow, knows that it is just an awesome fighter jet!