France says talking to Saudi about Rafale fighter sale

France says talking to Saudi about Rafale fighter sale

A best-selling French export
A best-selling French export. Photo: Fred TANNEAU / AFP
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Briefly News WhatsApp Channel - Breaking News on the Go - FOLLOW NOW

The French government is talking to Saudi Arabia about selling the kingdom Rafale fighter jets, France's defence minister said on Monday.

Sebastien Lecornu told reporters there were "discussions" between Rafale maker Dassault Aviation and Saudi Arabia about a potential sale but gave no details.

Weekly La Tribune Dimanche reported that Saudi Arabia -- whose airforce is mostly equipped with American F-15s and Eurofighters built by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain -- had asked Dassault for a cost estimate for 54 Rafales by November 10.

The Rafale, a twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft, is a bestseller for the French arms industry, and helped push French weapons exports to a record high last year.

France, the world's third-biggest arms exporting nation after the United States and Russia, sold 80 of the fighters to the United Arab Emirates for an estimated 16 billion euros ($17 billion) in 2022.

Read also

Kenyan shilling hits record low of 150 to the dollar

Indonesia, Greece, India, Qatar and Egypt are also Rafale customers.

PAY ATTENTION: Have you recorded a funny video or filmed the moment of fame, cool dance, or something bizarre? Inbox your personal video on our Facebook page!

France has sold more than half its Rafale production to date abroad.

NGOs often criticise France for delivering arms to what they say are authoritarian regimes.

But the defence ministry said in a report last year that France always respected its "international commitments" and weapons exports were subject to "very strict rules" and export controls.

Saudi Arabia, already a major buyer of French weapons, is regularly accused of human rights violations which NGOs and others say include mass executions and the targeting of individuals exercising their right of freedom of expression and association.

Dt-jh/as/cw

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.