Egypt confirms $4.75 bn fighter jet deal with France
Human rights groups slammed the deal, which is backed by French government loans.
Egypt’s Defense Ministry confirmed today that it signed an agreement to buy 30 Rafale fighter jets from France in what an investigative group says is a $4.75 billion arms deal.
France’s government confirmed on Tuesday it will begin delivering the jets in 2024. Defense Minister Florence Parly said in a statement that the deal is crucial for France’s “sovereignty” and will create 7,000 jobs.
The France-based investigative nongovernmental organization Disclose reported on Monday that it had obtained documents outlining three contracts signed on April 26 with French defense companies. The agreement was confidential at Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi’s request, the group reported.
The deals include $4.5 billion (3.75 billion euros) worth of Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jets, and $240 million (200 million euros) worth of avionics and munitions from France’s missile manufacturing conglomerate MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense.
