Qatar takes delivery of first French-built Rafale jet fighter

[Kailash Kumar]

Qatar takes delivery of first French-built Rafale jet fighter

Doha has significantly boosted defence spending after being diplomatically isolated by its Gulf neighbours in 2017.

3 hours ago

Qatar will buy dozens of the French-made aircraft

Qatar took delivery of the first of 36 Rafale multi-purpose fighter jets it ordered from French manufacturer Dassault.

The hand-over ceremony on Wednesday in Merignac, in southwestern France, where the planes are built, was attended by Qatar Defence Minister Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah and Dassault Aviation chief Eric Trappier.

Qatar ordered 24 of the fighters in 2015, adding 12 more last year. It also has an option to buy 36 more.

The twin-engine fighter has been in service with the French Air Force since 2004. France has also sold Mirage F1, Alpha Jets and Mirage 2000 fighters to Qatar.

After failing to sell the Rafale abroad for several years, France finally won a contract from Egypt in 2015 for 24 jets, followed by the sale to Qatar.

In September 2016, India also agreed to buy 36 of the fighters.

Qatar has upped its defence spending after being diplomatically isolated by its Gulf neighbours.

Since June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed a boycott on Qatar, accusing it of backing terrorism and being too close to Iran.

Qatar denies the allegations and has accused the Saudi-led bloc of aiming to incite regime change in Doha.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019...built-rafale-jet-fighter-190206135652110.html

 

[fitpOsitive]

And the commodity sold. Had to purchase it. That's how they loot third world countries.

 

[MultaniGuy]

And the commodity sold. Had to purchase it. That's how they loot third world countries.

Maybe Qatar could have done a JV with Pakistan and China and make an indigenous variant.

But lets face it, there are few alternatives to western technology.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

Now, PAF knows ins and outs of this jet...

 

[Village life]

Now, PAF knows ins and outs of this jet...

Via Turkey or direct? ))))

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

Via Turkey or direct? ))))

Pak asks the Muslim world delivers by HIS permission...

 

[Philip the Arab]

Pak asks the Muslim world delivers by HIS permission...

If Egypt had just developed the Helwan HA-30 they would be producing all indigenous jets but Saudi Arabia is making progress with the AN-132 being manufactured domestically. Hopefully Pakistan will buy a good amount of them.

 

[The SC]

That is 96 highly sophisticated fighters for a very tiny state..it is becoming a force to reckon with..

36 Rafale

24 Typhoon

36 F-15 QA

​

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

If Egypt had just developed the Helwan HA-30 they would be producing all indigenous jets but Saudi Arabia is making progress with the AN-132 being manufactured domestically. Hopefully Pakistan will buy a good amount of them.

I am pretty sure Pak will optimally leverage whatever is available. It’s reported they’re talking to get the retired EAF mirage 3/5s...