Breaking news
Kuwait Air Force still interested in the French fighter aircraft Rafale 1212115.
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GDA
2011 Gulf Defence & Aerospace Exhibition and Conference Kuwait City , Kuwait 12 - 14 December 2011 |
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Rafale
Dassault at GDA 2011 |
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| Kuwait Air Force still interested in the French fighter aircraft Rafale. | |||
After
its success during the conflict in Libya, the French combat aircraft Rafale
remains in the competition to join the air forces of several Gulf countries
including Kuwait. At the international exhibition of defense and aerospace
GDA 2011, Rafale International presents the B and C version of its multi-role
combat aircraft. |
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 Rafale International booth at GDA 2011 Defence and Aerospace Exhibition in Kuwait. |
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During
a Gulf tour in February 2008, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said discussions
had begun with Kuwait to sell between 14 and 28 Rafales, which are made
by France's Dassault Aviation. In October 2010 , Kuwait and France signed a new defense agreement and discussed details of the Rafale deal. Kuwait Ministry of Defense said after talks in Paris that Kuwait would be "proud" to have the supersonic Rafale jet for its armed forces at some point in the future. Negotiations are always on the way with the UAE for the sale of 60 aircraft. Speaking to reporters at Dubai Air Show 2011 ahead of the UAE statement, French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet, who had just returned from the Dubai Air Show, said he was still confident Paris would secure the deal. "The Rafale is not more expensive than the Eurofighter, and it's less expensive than American products, so I think Rafales will be sold," he said, reaffirming talks were in the final phase, but declining to give a date for their conclusion. Qatar and Kuwait have early-stages programs going to select new fighters for their air forces, and the UAE is a very respected and influential weapons buyer in the region. A sale to the UAE would make a huge difference to Dassault, and the UAE would reap royalties if Rafales with its requested extra features are bought by other countries. |
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