Croatian government confirms buy of 12 Rafale fighter jets.

According to information published by Reuters on May 28, 2021, the Croatian government will buy 12 Dassault Rafale F3-R fighter jets to modernize its Air Force in a deal worth 999 million euros, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said.

Follow Air Recognition on Google News at this link

French F3R Rafale fighter jet (Picture source: Dassault Aviation)

Other offers in the process included those from the United States, Sweden, and Israel. But as we announced on the 25th of May, the Croatian government has decided to buy 12 used French F3R Rafale fighter jets. F3-R is the upgraded version of the Rafale F3 and is fitted with RBE AESA radar and an advanced infrared search tract system.

Croatian Air Force has been attempting to replace its antique MiG-21BisD/UMD fighters from Yugoslavia's socialist era.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Approximately 60 countries in four continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still serves many nations six decades after its maiden flight.

The MiG-21 is a lightweight fighter achieving Mach 2 with a relatively low-powered afterburning turbojet.

The aircraft was the first successful Soviet aircraft combining fighter and interceptor characteristics in a single aircraft. It is not known for its radar or hauling capabilities, nor for its target acquisition equipment or range.