Summary
- Saudi Arabia is considering buying 54 Rafales aircraft. The deal could mean a move away from Eurofighter Typhoons.
- There is speculation that the Rafale bulk order may have been used as a tactic to pressure Germany to unblock the Eurofighter Typhoon deal.
- Saudi Arabia could, following Qatar’s example, choose to purchase both Rafales and Typhoons to maintain a diverse and impressive fighter jet fleet.
For years, the Gulf states have been some of the world’s largest arms importers – the largest sponsor being the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has already placed a large order for 48 Eurofighter Typhoons, but appears to be considering ordering another large fighter jet for the French company Dassault Rafales. These two European jets started out as the same pan-European project, but due to disagreements, France went out on its own and produced its own jet independently.
Saudi Arabia requests offer for 54 Rafales
According to Army Recognition, Saudi Arabia is currently exploring the possibility of buying 52 Rafales (Dassault has seen a sharp increase in orders for the French aircraft in recent years). The French Rafale is seen as a capable combat aircraft and an alternative to buying Russian jets (which has become largely untenable in recent years).
Instead of pursuing the Typhoon deal, however, there is discussion about whether Saudi Arabia will buy more Rafales. Last October, La Tribune and Europe 1 reported that Saudi Arabia had requested a “price proposal” from Dassault for 54 Rafales. This came after a meeting between the French and Saudi defense ministers.
Related
5 major Western fighter jets and their annual production rates
About half a dozen Western fighter aircraft are currently in production, with production rates ranging from about 10 to over 150 per year.
Trick to solve the blockade of the Eurofighter aircraft?
Saudi Arabia had a contract to buy 48 Eurofighters, but deteriorating political relations led Germany to block exports in 2018. That ban was lifted earlier this year. Some suspect the interest in Rafales may have been a maneuver to bail out the Typhoons.
In fact, Germany lifted its veto on weapons destined for the Arab kingdom about three months after Saudi Arabia requested the Rafale offer. If Germany lifts its veto, the UK could potentially sell the Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia.
Nevertheless, the increased cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia seems real, so there could be a genuine interest in switching to the Rafale (although Rafale’s large order books and lack of production capacity could be a concern). The Eurofighter is currently produced at a rate of around 10 per year, while 13 Rafales have been produced in 2023 (although this number will be increased).
Photo: Jamie Hunter | Royal Air Force
According to Forbes, another option for Saudi Arabia is to follow the example of its smaller neighbor Qatar and buy both aircraft. According to FlightGlobal, Saudi Arabia currently has 72 Eurofighter Typhoons in service, as well as 211 F-15C/S/SA and 81 ageing Tornado IDS 81s. Despite a population of around 3 million (of which just over 300,000 are citizens), Qatar has an impressive fighter jet fleet of 36 F-15s, 36 Rafales and 24 Eurofighters (so it’s plausible that Saudi Arabia could handle both the Eurofighter and the Rafale).
