Croatia kjøper brukte Rafale - Defence News

Det er lett å forstå dersom kjøpet var avhengig av voldsom manøvreringsdyktighet. Akkurat det bildet du ser under, er fra et fantastisk shownummer. Jeg var der og sa til kollega Reinhard Lillebø: Har Norge kjøpt riktig fly? F-35 dro til like etter Rafale`en med et blekt display i forhold. For liksom å ydmyke amerikanerne hadde Rafale`en et nytt show senere på dagen. Macron var der..... (Red.)

Croatia to drop €1 billion on used Rafale fighter jets

By: Jaroslaw Adamowski    21 hours a

A Rafale fighter performs its flying display at the International Paris Air Show on June 17, 2019, at Le Bourget airport near Paris. (ERIC PIERMONT/AFP/Getty Images)

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.

Other offers considered by Zagreb included the purchase of F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the United States, Swedish JAS-39 Gripen C/D fighter jets, and F-16C/D Block 30 aircraft from Israel. Through the acquisition, Croatia’s Air Force is aiming to replace its outdated Soviet-designed Mikoyan MiG-21 fighters.