Qatar Buys 24 Rafale Fighter, Missiles From France For $7 Billion

Qatar has agreed to buy 24 Dassault Rafale fighter jets and MBDA missiles from France for 6.3 billion euro ($7.02 billion) today.

The contract was signed by Dassault CEO, Eric Trappier, with Qatari defense officials in Doha in presence of French President Francois Hollande and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

The agreement includes an order for 24 Rafale fighter jets, with an option on a further 12 and training of 36 Qatari pilots and technicians by the French military.

This is the third deal for Dassault Rafale this year after Egypt and India agreed to buy the aircraft.

Egypt signed a 5.3 billion euro ($5.9 billion) deal to buy 24 Rafales, a DCNS multi-mission frigate and missiles in February 2015.

India in April this year agreed to buy 36 Rafales in ‘fly-away’ condition for about 5.9 billion euros ($5-6 billion). Both the countries may soon finalize the deal.