With the noticeable absence of its 4 main western competitors (Eurofighter, Gripen, F/A-18E/F and F-35) the Rafale is clearly the star of this year Paris Air show.
The week began with the visit of French President François Hollande and his Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian who played an active role in the first export successes of the jet:
In 3 months, 2 contracts were signed with Egypt (24 aicrafts) and Qatar (24 aircrafts + 12 options).
Within the same period, India also confirmed its intention to acquire quickly 36 Rafale off the shelf.
As the first export customer of the Rafale, the Egyptian delegation poses proudly in front of its future fighter jet. The Egyptian Air Force, will receive its first 3 Rafale within a month just in time for the inauguration of the new Suez Canal.
This 51st Paris Air show was a good occasion for several countries to visit the Dassault chalet, some of them quite unexpected like the Croatian Air Force delegation.
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