Cairo, Sept. 4 – Egypt has issued a request for proposal to Dassault Aviation for 24 additional Rafale jets, marking a potential third French deal that would grow the Egyptian Air Force inventory to 78 aircraft. This Egypt Rafale deal follows the 2015 purchase of 24 jets as the type’s first export customer and a 2021 contract for 30 more, with 54 expected in service by year-end. Cairo pursues the additional Rafale jets to strengthen airpower against evolving threats through continuous Egypt’s defense modernization and fleet expansion.
The move supports the replacement of more than 200 aging F-16s delivered from 1982 to 2013, many nearing the end of service life and limited by weapons restrictions that blocked long-range missiles. Selecting European Rafale fighter aircraft for Egypt’s platforms allows access to advanced systems including MICA and Meteor missiles while diversifying suppliers away from sole reliance on American hardware. Egypt Air Force modernization thus gains both capability and procurement flexibility.
Financing remains central because earlier Rafale contracts used ten-year French government-backed loans. Dassault Aviation must also fit Egyptian production into a crowded schedule already covering India, Indonesia, and Serbia orders. Despite Chinese J-10 alternatives, the RFP confirms continued preference for Western fighters amid fiscal limits.
The Rafale 4.5-generation multirole jet measures 15 meters long with an 11-meter wingspan, an empty weight of 10,300 kilograms, and twin M88 engines enabling Mach 1.8 speed, a 2,000-nautical-mile range, and a 15,835-meter ceiling. It carries a 30mm cannon, various missiles, electronic warfare gear, and targeting pods, making it well suited to Egypt’s third French deal for additional Rafale jets.