Egypt to Buy 30 Rafale Jets, Contract Signed with France

Egypt and France signed a contract for the supply of 30 Rafale fighter jets, Egyptian defense ministry announced on its website early on Tuesday.

"Egypt and France signed a contract to supply 30 Rafale jets through the Egyptian Armed Forces and the French Dassault Aviation company, provided that, the concluded contract is financed through a financing loan of a minimum duration of 10 years," the ministry said.

The value of the contract has not been disclosed but is expected to be in the region of $10 billion.

Egypt's purchase of  the first batch of Rafale jets was worth $6 billion and was financed up to 50% by a consortium of French banks.

In 2015, France closed a €5.2 billion ($5.9 billion) contract for the sale of 24 Rafale fighter jets to Egypt, in what is the first foreign order of the French-built warplanes.