Egypt to buy another 24 Rafale fighter jets from France this year?

Egypt could ink an agreement with France as early as this year to purchase another 24 Rafale fighter jets, French daily La Tribune reported last Wednesday, citing statements made by French Armed Force Minister Florence Parly in April. Egypt had quietly signed a communications agreement with the US back in January, removing an obstacle that had been blocking the sale of 12 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation, equipped with US-made Scalp cruise missiles. The US had refused the sale claiming it violates US International Air Traffic in Arms Regulations. Egypt has received 14 of 24 jets from its original EUR 5.2 bn order to date, according to Defence Blog. The news comes as Egyptian and French naval forces have conducted joint drills in the Red Sea over the past several days, according to an Armed Forces statement.