During his wishes to the French, Emmanuel Macron assured him: he wanted to “rearm” the country. Whether it is a rearmament of “public services” or a “civic” rearmament, the head of state seems to have only this word on his mouth. And with its order for 42 additional Rafale combat aircraft, the Ministry of the Armed Forces is taking the instructions literally.
This order represents an “investment of more than 5 billion euros”, specified this Friday the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, during his announcement on the social network X. This order, planned for a long time and included in the budget 2023, brings to 234 the number of these devices ordered by Paris since the launch of the program. Deliveries should take place between 2027 and 2032.
An instrument of “sovereignty”
In detail, the contract concerns the order of 30 aircraft for “tranche 5” of Rafale equipment for the French army, as well as 12 aircraft intended to replace the Rafale of the Air Force sold from occasion in 2021 in Croatia.
“First major order financed by the LPM [loi de programmation militaire]it illustrates French industrial excellence and contributes to more than 7,000 jobs in more than 400 companies in France,” said Sébastien Lecornu on X. For Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, the Rafale is an instrument of “ sovereignty” for France.
“An asset of influence”
“This military industrial sovereignty constitutes an exception in Europe. It ensures the superiority of our combat aviation. It is also an asset of diplomatic influence and economic power with exports,” he believes, quoted in a press release.
The Rafale is a so-called multirole combat aircraft, capable of carrying out air defense, reconnaissance or bombing missions. Capable, in its Navy version, of taking off from an aircraft carrier, it is also the vector of French nuclear deterrence.