Egypt Seeks Third French Deal for Additional Rafale Jets

Egypt has issued a request for proposal to Dassault Aviation for 24 additional Rafale supersonic combat aircraft, according to French media outlet La Tribune.

The potential acquisition would be Cairo’s third Rafale acquisition, expanding its overall fleet to 78 in a continuous effort to match evolving threats.

Egypt became the jet’s first export customer in 2015 with an initial order for 24, followed by a second agreement in 2021 for 30 additional airframes.

Building on those deals, the Egyptian Air Force expects to have 54 Rafales in operational service by the end of this year.

The French aerospace company declined to comment on the request, La Tribune reported.

Replacing F-16s

The potential order comes as the country replaces more than 200 of its aging American-built F-16s delivered between 1982 and 2013.

While early F-16 variants are reaching the end of their service life, the aircraft have historically faced weapons restrictions, including a lack of integration for long-range air-to-air missiles.

Sources noted that adopting European platforms will enable Cairo to diversify its defense hardware and procure advanced capabilities, such as the MICA and Meteor missiles.

Funding, Schedule Concerns

Financing remains a key consideration for the potential purchase, according to analysts, as previous Egyptian military acquisitions relied heavily on 10-year loans backed by the French government.

New contracts would also require Dassault to schedule production for Cairo into a congested assembly timeline, which includes orders for India, Indonesia, and Serbia.

The RFP signals ongoing interest from Cairo despite alternative options, including Chinese fighter jets, as Egypt continues to balance Western hardware, fiscal constraints, and force modernization.

Dassault Aviation’s Rafale

The Rafale is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter system that measures 15 meters (49 feet) in length and has a wingspan of 11 meters (36 feet).

The aircraft has an empty weight of 10,300 kilograms (22,708 pounds), a fuel capacity of up to 4,700 kilograms (10,362 pounds), and a seating configuration for up to two aviators.

It can be fitted with a 30mm autocannon, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, nuclear warheads, an electronic warfare suite, and targeting support equipment.

Rafale uses twin Snecma M88-4e turbofans for a flight speed of Mach 1.8 (2,223 kilometers/1,381 miles per hour), a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,704 kilometers/2,302 miles), and an altitude of 15,835 meters (51,952 feet).

Source: Defence Post