Croatia to Order 12 Used French Rafale Jets in Euro 999 Million Deal

Croatia has announced the selection of Rafale F3-R jets which are currently in service with the French Air Force.

Croatia has selected the Rafale for its Air Force, following an international call for tenders as part of its Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, a Dassault Aviation statement said.

Following an announcement of selection made by the Croatian government and Dassault Aviation, commercial negotiations between France and Croatia will ensue to purchase 12 aircraft of the F3-R standard which is the latest version of the Rafale. The deal includes aircraft, spares, support, service, training and a complement of weapons.

Dassault’s partners- MBDA for weapons, Thales for avionics and targeting systems besides Safran for engines, will also be involved in executing the deal.

While the value of the deal was not officially mentioned Croation and French media put the price tag at Euro 999 million.

“Dassault Aviation and its partners are delighted with the choice of Croatia as a first-time user of a "Dassault aircraft" and the fifth Rafale export customer, and thank the Croatian authorities for their confidence. They commend the work done by the "France" team in the frame of the call for tenders and actively support the French authorities in finalizing the signature of this contract,”  a Dassault Aviation statement said Friday.

 “The purchase of the multirole fighter aircraft will strengthen Croatia’s position as a member of NATO and a partner within the European Union. For the first time, we will reach 2 percent of the GDP allocated to strengthening our defense capabilities,” Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in a statement released by the Croatian Ministry of Defense.