Croatia chooses Rafale

[chopper2004]

In a strange twist …Croatia chooses Rafale ,

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/croatia-to-buy-rafale-fighter-jets-from-france/

Any thoughts?

cheers

[etudiant]

Has to be an EU issue, but is a 10 fighter fleet militarily sensible?

[FlightDetent]

You can actually only afford 7 but end up paying 14 through embezzlement. 10's a fair deal.

[Bob Viking]

What do you mean by it being an EU thing? It’s a great throw away line but what are you basing it on?

Gripen is made by Sweden. EU nation.

Typhoon is made by Britain partially. Obviously not EU. The other three members of the consortium are Germany, Spain and Italy. All EU members.

Yes, Rafale is French who are also an EU member.

Croatia may well have considered and discarded any American or Russian options but there was plenty of choice from within the EU and from outside.

So, how is it an EU thing just because they chose Rafale from the many options on the table? How does the EU directly benefit because a French company has sold a few jets?

BV

[FlightDetent]

Guess he means the countries here cannot employ an Air Force large enough to make the independence noise audible.

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-california-economy-gdp-20180504-story.html

United K. - 2829 b.USD 2019
Romania - 250 b.USD 2019
Croatia - 60 b.USD 2019
N. Dakota - 57 b.USD 2019

[Beamr]

The decision may well be used Rafales eventually, but so far it is only a rumour in a newspaper that publishes articles with zero background checks.

[Asturias56]

" only a rumour in a newspaper that publishes articles with zero background checks."

Is there any other sort? there's a bit in the thread about U2 about how Aviation News for example publishes rubbish from one contributor on a regular basis

[Beamr]

Is there any other sort?
Rather cynical but rather true :}

[SLXOwft]

I presume, with admittedly little knowledge, that second hand French Rafales F3s (which will miss out on the F4 upgrades - France started flight trials last week) would be more affordable than the Block 70/72 Vipers they were reputedly considering, a combination of Trump and Congress having wrecked the potential second hand (earlier Block)Viper/Barak deals (though the block 30 Baraks were apparently back on the table). I also recently read, but can't currently find, a report that the twin engine configuraton may have been a factor.

Interesting that France is offloading some of its Rafale F3s to Greece and now (it is alledged) Croatia ahead of the F4.1 / F4.2 programme, does this signal a new build buy?

Anyway a belated joyeux vingtième anniversaire to the Rafale for the 18th.

[langleybaston]

Just silly willy-waving. Still, it should generate one brigadier, a full colonel, a couple of lt cols, a couple of majors and a dozen junior officers [all flyers] plus commensurate ground posts.
What not to like?

[ORAC]

The decision may well be used Rafales eventually, but so far it is only a rumour in a newspaper that publishes articles with zero background checks.


https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/05/28/croatia-to-drop-1-billion-euros-on-used-rafale-fighter-jets/

Croatia to drop €1 billion on used Rafale fighter jets

WARSAW, Poland — Croatia’s government has made a decision to buy 12 second-hand Rafale F3-R fighter jets from France for the country’s Air Force, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said.

“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,” Plenković said, as quoted in a statement released by his government.

The deal is to be worth some €999 million (U.S. $1.2 billion) and, in addition to the aircraft, it will cover weapon systems, spare parts, logistics and training. Following the cabinet’s decision, Zagreb will proceed to negotiate the contract’s details with Paris.

Under the plan, France is to deliver the first six twin-engine aircraft in 2024, and the remaining six Rafales will be supplied the following year. The delivered aircraft will include 10 single-seater and two twin-seater fighter jets.….

[chopper2004]

The decision may well be used Rafales eventually, but so far it is only a rumour in a newspaper that publishes articles with zero background checks.

https://www.dassault-aviation.com/fr/groupe/presse/press-kits/la-croatie-et-la-france-finalisent-lacquisition-du-rafale/?fbclid=IwAR1bkHyDqCEA3Z9-rzfqdrS9dAVkbx_c3SV3yahFH0Ztxf3hLOcdG9WuaSc

[Fonsini]

The easy option for nations who want a small but effective fighter fleet is often to pull some F-16Cs from AMARC and recondition them (currently 112 to choose from) and the US is often willing to give them away with the purchasing nation just paying for the return to service costs. The problem is the hidden cost of the US then wanting basing and overflight privileges as part of the deal, not to mention the occasional CIA detention and interrogation facility. Watching a financially dependent Argentina try to get modern aircraft with the US restricting their choice to the A-4AR shows how much control they are willing to exert. Even Gripen can have problems because of the motor - Rafale on the other hand is one of the few options that uses entirely non-US systems, which makes it attractive for some buyers.

Military aircraft procurement is an interesting area in its own right.

[Speedywheels]

Meanwhile UAE has signed a deal for 80 Rafale along with 12 Caracal helicopters.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211203-uae-signs-deal-for-80-french-rafale-fighter-jets-officials

Dassault Aviation continuing their sales success after previous deals with Egypt and Qatar.