31.10.2008. godine StrategyPage
Francuska je za potrebe svog vazduhoplovstva naručila još 60 aviona Rafale, sa rokom isporuke u narednih 5 godina. Francuski planovi obuhvataju kupovinu 294 aviona, a do sada je nabavljeno 60 aparata. Prvi skvadron naoružan ovim avionima zaživeo je pre dve godine. Francuska mornarica je dobila 10 "mornaričkih" Rafala i nalaze se na nosaču Šarl de Gol.
Cela vest
France has ordered another 60 Rafale jet fighters, to be delivered over the next five years. Ultimately, France plans to buy 294, and 60 have been delivered so far. Two years ago, the French Air Force activated its first squadron of Rafale fighters. The navy had received ten navalized Rafales two before that, for service on the nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The first prototype of Rafale was shown in 1986, and the aircraft should have entered service in the late 1990s.
While one of the more modern combat aircraft in the world, development of the Rafale was delayed by technical problems, and shortages of money. Entering development just as the Cold War ended meant that there was little enthusiasm to spend billions on an aircraft that would face no real opposition. But, facing the need to eventually replace all those Mirage fighters, development did get restarted, creating an aircraft superior to the American F-15s and F-16s, very similar to the F-18F, but inferior to the F-22 and F-35.
The Eurofighter was another competitor for scarce export sales. By 2006, the French armed forces have only ordered 120 Rafales (82 for the air force, 38 for the navy), although eventually over 300 are expected to be ordered. The 28 ton aircraft sell for about $100 million each, and so far, there have been no export orders.
