Croatia and France finalize Rafale acquisition.

At a ceremony attended by the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister of the Croatian Republic Andrej Plenković, the French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly and the Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation Eric Trappier signed in Zagreb, with the Croatian Minister of Defense Mario Banozic, two contracts for the acquisition of 12 Rafale fighters and associated logistics support.

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Dassault Rafale (Picture source: Dassault)

The state-to-state contract mainly covers the transfer of 12 Rafale fighters from the French Air Force along with their equipment, as well as a training service for the Croatian Air Force.

The logistics support contract covers all support resources, including additional spare parts for these aircraft, over a three-year period.

The selection of the Rafale, announced on May 28, after an international tender involving European and American aircraft, reflects its technological and operational superiority, as well as the excellent work done by the team “France” to consolidate its position in the European air forces.

“I am delighted, on behalf of Dassault Aviation and its partners, to be entering into a relationship of trust with Croatia, a European country, and to be writing a new page for the Rafale, which I am certain will give the Croatian Air Force complete satisfaction, while actively contributing to the exercise of Croatia’s national sovereignty,” said Eric Trappier after the signing ceremony.

"I have just signed the agreement for the acquisition of Rafale by Croatia as part of the visit of the President of the Republic to Zagreb. A strong act for defense Europe. Croatia is the 3rd European country to equip the Rafale"  said the French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly on Twitter. "These 12 second-hand Rafale sold to Croatia are taken from the ranks of the French Air and Space Force : they will obviously be replaced by new planes which will be ordered from 2023"  (Picture source: Florence Parly)