Saudi Arabia's purchase of French fighter jets would be a major economic coup for Dassault Aviation and a political coup for France. The Saudis are considering purchasing 54 Rafales and asking the aircraft manufacturer to make an offer by November 10, revealed La Tribune Dimanche of October 22. Talks have been confirmed by Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu, with no further details.
There's a "Rafale moment," as Eric Trappier, the manufacturer's CEO, declared at the end of August. The first exports of the plane were not until the Egyptian order of 2015. Trappier is convinced that the multirole aircraft (roles include air defense, reconnaissance, nuclear deterrence and anti-ship combat) is an alternative to American and Russian aircraft. So much so that he is giving "priority" to the fifth-generation Rafale, scheduled for 2030, relegating to second place the air combat system of the future being developed with Airbus Defense and Space of Germany and Indra of Spain.
A sale to Riyadh would first and foremost be a commercial success. Not as important as the 80 aircraft acquired by the United Arab Emirates, but on the same scale as the orders from Egypt and India. The latter is currently finalizing the purchase of 26 additional aircraft. Rich in petrodollars and with a defense budget of $70 billion (€66 billion) in 2022, up for the first time since 2018, Saudi Arabia is the world's fifth-largest arms buyer.
The operation would also reinforce the strategic choice made by General de Gaulle at the start of the Fifth Republic: a complete army model based on an industry capable of supplying almost all its equipment. As manufacturers cannot live on national orders alone, this implies major exports of military equipment. The Rafale fulfills this role, with 261 of its 453 orders delivered to other countries.
Finally, it would be a political success for Paris against the United States, and above all against Europe. The Saudi Air Force is equipped with Boeing F-15s, European Eurofighter Typhoons and British Tornados. It will probably fall back on the Rafale if the German veto prevents it from buying the 48 Typhoons. Under pressure from the Greens, who accuse Riyadh of war crimes in Yemen, Chancellor Olaf Scholz had to oppose the sale. A success by default for French aircraft in the ruthless arms business.