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Egypt signs deal with France to buy 24 Rafale fighter jets

Xinhua, February 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Egypt signed here on Monday a 5.2 billion-euro contract with France to buy 24 Rafale fighter jets and a naval vessel, official MENA news agency reported.

The deal signed by the Egyptian Defense Minister Sidqi Sobhy and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian is France's first agreement to export the home-made fighters which failed to conquer foreign markets due to high prices.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attended the signing ceremony.

Under the deal, which was first planned during al-Sisi's visit to France in November last year, France will supply Egypt with 24 Rafale fighter jets, a FREMM frigate and short and medium range MBDA missiles.

The Rafale, manufactured by French company Dassault Aviation, is a twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter that has only served in the French Navy and Air Force since it was introduced in 2000.

Three of the Rafale jets and the FREMM warship are expected to participate in the opening ceremony of the new Suez Canal project in August, according to MENA.

The agreement came a few hours after the Egyptian air forces conducted air strikes on Islamic State targets in Libya in revenge to the beheading of 21 Egyptians in the neighboring country Sunday.

The new deal will empower Egypt in its war against internal and regional terrorism that has so far caused the death of hundreds of Egyptians inside and outside its borders. Endit