Serbia will soon be equipped with Rafale. During his trip to Belgrade, Emmanuel Macron and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed an agreement for the sale of 12 French fighter jets. The amount has not been disclosed, but is estimated at 3 billion euros.
This is a “major contract” for both Serbia and France, says Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. But beyond the amount of this transaction, this agreement is above all a sign of strategic appeasement between France and Serbia, which remains one of Moscow’s last allies in Europe.
On FranceTV, Jean-Noël Barrot, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, MP for Yvelines and outgoing minister in charge of Europe, confirms France’s desire to move closer to Serbia.
“Serbia is the most important country in the Western Balkans on its path to the European Union. (…) “If we do not replace the Russian planes, (…) Serbia will become the entry point for authoritarian governments, regimes, Russia and China,” said Jean-Noël Barrot.
Technological information leaks
While some fear the leakage of technological and strategic information to Moscow or even Beijing, two countries that are friends of Belgrade, this risk is not very credible.
What sensitive technologies will be equipped with the requested devices? As an aeronautical expert explained to us, the client has his needs, but it is the Elysée that approves or not the innovations that will be equipped with the planes to be delivered.
It remains to be seen when these aircraft can be delivered to the Serbian air force. Dassault Aviation’s order book is strong. To date, export orders amount to 261 Rafales: 55 for Egypt, 36 for Qatar, 12 for Greece, 80 for the United Arab Emirates and 42 for Indonesia. In addition, Greece and Croatia have each purchased 12 Rafales from the French Air and Space Force.
With this latest contract, Serbia will become the third European country to equip its armed forces with the Rafale.
Source: BFM TV
