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Official: French-Egyptian Arms Talks Continue

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Pierre Tran

A handout picture taken on October 17, 2014 by the French Army and released on October 21, 2014 by French Army Communications body ECPAD (Establishment of Communication and Audiovisual Production of Defense) shows a Rafale fighter jet equiped with 4 laser guided bombs GBU-12 flying over Iraq on a reconnaissance mission after taking off from the Al-Dhafra base in the United Arab Emirates. French jets carried out on October 19, 2014 an air strike against two pick pick up trucks in the region of Tikrit, successfully destroying their target using 3 laser-guided bombs GBU-12, as part of the “Chammal” operation. France has increased its equipment with 3 more Rafale up to 9 Rafale fighter jets, after having mobilized one c135 refueling aircraft and an Atlantique 2 maritime patrol airplane, along with a warship deployed to the Persian Gulf to boost the fight against Islamic State in Iraq. AFP PHOTO / ECPAD / EMA /ARMEE DE L’AIR = RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / ECPAD / EMA /ARMEE DE L’AIR” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS – TO BE USED WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM 10/21/2014 =

PARIS — France is still in talks with Egypt on the sale of Rafale fighter jets, a multimission frigate and missiles, a French Defense Ministry spokesman said, denying a press report that the Egyptian political leader has approved the arms deal.

“There are still a few days of dialogue, during which we will remain extremely cautious over making any hasty announcements,” the spokesman said.

Afternoon daily Le Monde reported that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved on Monday evening the contract to buy 24 Rafales, a multimission frigate and MBDA missiles worth more than €5 billion (US $5.7 billion) and the official signing could take place in the next few days.

A senior French defense official has said the deal was still under negotiation.

“There’s still work to be done, but we’re optimistic,” defense procurement chief Laurent Collet-Billon said on Monday about Feb. 9 of the negotiations with Egypt. Collet-Billon was speaking at the annual press conference by the procurement office,
Direction Générale de l’Armement .

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Sunday that Feb. 8 there are were “fairly advanced” discussions with Egypt and the talks are were still continuing. “I hope it will get done,” he said in a television interview backed by Europe 1, Le Monde and I Télé.

Egypt is keen to acquire the Dassault Aviation Rafale and DCNS multimission frigate in time for the planned opening of a new waterway for the Suez Canal in August. The prospective deal is worth €5 billion to €6 billion, and includes MBDA air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles to arm the Rafale, and the Aster 15 surface-to-air weapon for the multimission frigate, known as the frégate multimission (FREMM).

The Egyptian deal requires loans from French banks to partly finance the deal. , which also draws on its own funds from Egypt.

If the deal goes ahead, this would be the first export sale of the Rafale. France needs to seal foreign sales deals for the fighter to relieve the budgetary burden and maintain the annual production rate of 11 units.

Email: ptran@defensenews.com

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Pierre Tran