Saudi Arabia Wants to Buy 72 Rafale Multirole Fighter

[Super Falcon]

They had 72 EF and 150 F 15 anyway SU 35 would have suited them better than rafale SU 35 is more advanced than Rafale

 

[Audio]

It's protection money boys....nothing to do with leverage in driving typhoon prices down......if anything, it's a thank you check to France for being a tough negotiator. The member "Blue Marlin" also mentioned other sweets French industry has been receiving from GCC area. Take notes from there....

 

[Penguin]

It does in one context :


C- from Penguin above is the most likely reason. Check @nangyale 's answer in top post of this page.
Threatening to buy from a competitor is quite a common occurrence in the multi-billion deals' market.

But there is a dimension to D ( still from above ) that I'm surprised our astute avian friend missed.
If a coalition of friendly countries ( say the re-formed Arab League's QRF ) expects common operations,
it makes sense to have a common platform ... especially one that can do network-centric based capa-
bilities enhancement?


So, it's an improbable buy nonetheless for all the reasons mentioned through this thread by all but not
such an illogical as to be impossible.

Great year all, Tay.

As of 2015, there are a total of 22 member states. The Arab League member states are as follows:

Algeria – Mig 25, Mig 29S/SMT, Su 24MK, Su 30MKA
Bahrain – F-5E, F-16C. Under consideration: Typhoon, Gripen, Rafale, and JSF Lightning II.
Comoros - n/a
Djibouti - n/a
Egypt – Mig 21/J-7, F-16, mostly A/B, some C/D Block 52, Mirage 5, Mirage 2000, Rafale
Iraq - – F-16C/D, Su-25, T/A-50
Jordan – F-5E, F-16A/B
Kuwait - F/A-18C. Typhoon selected for future
Lebanon - Hunter
Libya – Mig 21, Mig 23, Mirage F1. Rafale or Typhoon in future (i.e. considered), with F1
Mauritania – n/a
Morocco - F-5E, F-16C/D Block 52+, Mirage F1
Oman - Hawk 200, F-16C, Typhoon
Palestine - n/a
Qatar - Mirage 2000, Rafale
Saudi Arabia – Tornado, Typhoon, F15C, F-15E. In future, Rafale or more Typhoon (i.e. considered)
Somalia - Mig 17, Mig 21, F-6 (Mig 19), Il-28, Hunter
Sudan - Mig 21, Mig 23, Mig 29, Su-22, Su-24, Q-5 (mod Mig 19), J-6 (Mig 19), J-7 (Mig 21)
Syrian opposition (seat of Syria) – Mig 21, Mig 23, Mig 25, Mig 29, Su 22, Su 24
Tunisia - F-5
United Arab Emirates - F-16E/F block 60, Mirage 2000. Typhoon, JSF or Rafale in future (i.e. considered).
Yemen - F-5, Mig 21, Mig 29, Su-22

and 1 observer state :

Eritrea - Mig 29, Su 27

WRT an Arab League QRF air component, I think it is pretty even when it comes to preference for Typhoon or Rafale, both today (countries in service: 2 v 2) and in future (6 v 6). Possibly even slightly in favor of Typhoon (considering Kuwait already selected).

Sources: air power, airforces, military aircraft, news, inventory, air maps, airbases plus various air force wikis

 

[Taygibay]

Yes, Penguin but ... hard facts as you said, it's 2 each for the Typhie and Raffy :
Oman and KSA for the former and Egypt and Qatar for the latter.
Last news gave Dassault expecting a third M-E order from UAE. Of course they
talked with EF but their set-up is not going that way with F-16/M2000 at present.
Insider infos even credit them with the intention to keep the dash nines anyway.
We'll see what happens but if both deals then transform into reality as above, an
order from KSA would bring the two "fleets" to merge with Rafale one up.

Of course, if Kuwait drops the EF and goes Rafale or vice versa with UAE, it all changes.

In any case, considering only latest modern ACs, the picture is not so clear cut :
let's forget the no-aircraft AFs ( sic ) including Lebanon and it's a mix and match stew recipe.
But let's also subtract those AFs that are not viably sustainable : Syrian opp. & Lybia.
From what is left, let's keep very modern multi-role platforms of worth, say F-16 Block 50 +,
and we get Mig-29 SMTs in Yemen which cannot be accounted for until the fighting is over,
Algeria's MKAs, Morocco's Bl.52 F-16s, core group users sporting F-16 ( Egypt & UAE ),
F-15 Es in KSA, Typhoon in Oman and KSA and Rafales in Egypt and Qatar.

Either plane would go on top with next deal? In front of Russian and US birds per type?
Eventually some others may level up by selecting a late model AC but for now, that's it?

I do agree that my use of core group sways towards considers the GCC plus Egypt as the
natural base of the active QRF dreamt of since operations in Yemen started.
You and everyone else may disagree to it as is your right but it was no mistake or oversight.

Great year to you and yours my friend, Tay.

P.S. Isn't it MKAs instead of SMTs for Algeria? They have like 8 MiG 29s left, not a squadron.
The newer models were cancelled if IIRC.