Between supporters and opponents, reactions varied about the sudden announcement of Cairo and Paris signing an agreement under which Egypt would buy 30 French "Rafale" warplanes.
While some saw that the deal represented a distinct addition to the Egyptian Air Force, and increased its ability to control air in its regional surroundings in Africa and the Middle East;
Others questioned the feasibility of incurring more debt to add a new number of aircraft without a real need for them.
Today, Tuesday, the official spokesman for the Egyptian Armed Forces confirmed that the deal was signed between the Egyptian army and the French "Dassault Aviation" company, provided that the concluded contract would be funded through a financing loan of a minimum period of 10 years.
Increased strength or debt?
Activists and opponents saw that the new Rafale deal has no value as long as it is not used in defense of Egypt's historical rights in the Nile River, with Ethiopia's insistence on carrying out the second filling of the Renaissance Dam on time, striking Egypt's positions and the threats of its president, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
A number of them denounced the signing of a deal with this huge return, which exceeds $ 4.5 billion, which means more loans that put pressure on the exhausted Egyptian economy, and support French President Emmanuel Macron in facing an economic boycott by the people of the Islamic world, instead of directing it to files such as health, transportation and education.
France accepts Egypt's request to buy 30 Rafale fighters, worth $ 4.52 billion.
Does Egypt have 72 combat pilots assigned to the Rafale to fully operate the 24 fighters previously purchased in 2015?
The ratio in Egypt is 0.7 fighters per plane!
America still prohibits supplying Egypt with cruise Storm Shadow missiles. Https://t.co/WU0of4C391 pic.twitter.com/59GV9A2V8w
- Nayel Shafei (@nayelshafei) May 3, 2021
But don't forget, # Al-Sisi said: "We are very poor," and "Birth control news A" # France agrees to sell # Egypt 30 Rafale fighter jets worth 3.75 billion euros.
• Reuters on a French official: The French government says that the talks with Egypt about a deal The Rafale aircraft is in an advanced stage and the announcement may be very soon
- Nadia El-Magd (@Nadiaglory) May 3, 2021
#Egypt bought 30 Rafale planes from France in recent days for 3 billion and 750 million dollars, about 750 billion Egyptian pounds .. At the beginning of his rule, Sisi bought 24 Rafale planes that were used only in Sinai and Libya .. And they told the complainants that # Egypt paid the money But the receipt will take 3 years, meaning the Renaissance Dam will be deadly in Egypt
- Mahmoud Refaat (@DrMahmoudRefaat) May 3, 2021
And it led to 70 billion pounds to buy aircraft from the enemy of the Messenger of God for the parade that had no combat value. If we went to Turkey and asked them to build a factory for Bayraktar and Agenji planes, which are stronger than the Rafale a thousand times, they would agree and we have planes made in Egypt or with Egyptian specifications that hit the Renaissance Dam and return or develop the railways with it pic .twitter.com/0EnJfXpqBl
- Hassan Abdulrahman (@ haa153422) May 3, 2021
Congratulations on the brotherly people of France to provide 7,000 job opportunities over a period of 7 years after Al-Sisi contracted a deal to buy 30 Rafale aircraft at a price of 72 billion pounds to support the military partnership with France, and the delivery takes place after 3 years because the Nile Red Line https://t.co/ Yj0381FeXo
- Dr. Mustafa Gawish (@rmgaweesh) May 4, 2021
- Why are you, citizen, demonstrations, and who are you?
- A message was sent to Abi Ahmed, if he did not tell us the means of water, we would buy all the rafts in the market pic.twitter.com/qBWKJZuPqj
- mostafa zinaldin33 (@ mostafa27370979) May 4, 2021
# Egypt has contracted to buy 30 Rafale aircraft from # France.
Is this deal a step in the way of acquiring the force that could be a solution to the disaster of Ethiopia's dam, in which the Nile water is being held?
Or is it a continuation of the previous steps in support of # Macron against the boycott of French products 189 ?!
pic.twitter.com/Hflr2eCQzj
- Dr.
Mohamed Saghir (@MohamedSaggheer) May 4, 20
- Fighting corona and not the Rafale, Taha?
- Is this a question, Egypt ?!
El Raval of course!
https://t.co/MMm8oJeqrc
- sharif habib (@sharifhabib) May 4, 2021
On the other hand, supporters of the regime praised the new deal, and said it would increase the combat capacity of the Egyptian Air Force and change the balance of power in the region, in light of the US restrictions on arming the Egyptian army in favor of Israel, they said.
A number of them indicated that the timing of the deal is a clear message to Ethiopia, that the dam is not far from the capabilities of the Egyptian army, and an affirmation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's messages that prejudice to the Nile is a red line.
The new Rafale deal with France will
literally change the balance of the forces in the region. Literally, Egypt will have 54 Rafale fighters. This is a significant number that will turn all the scales in the region and will make you able to confront the enemy in an easier way, and you will keep powerful air forces as a deterrent that cannot be underestimated. I think this deal is a message to Ethiopia
- amr hamdon (@amrhamdon) May 3, 2021
I think that, with today's deal, Egypt obtained the Rafale M model, which is the most powerful naval version of the smart "Rafale" fighters.
It is reported that Egypt also has
"Rafale C" and "Rafale B"
models
, which are two versions intended for land airports. vAzoKOrhXe
- Journalist Muhammad Al-Desiti (@ yehia5yehia) May 3, 2021
- Wonderful news, the postponed condom deal between Egypt and France has been approved .. Not only that, it has increased to 30 aircraft instead of 12 .. It will be a strong addition to the Egyptian Air Force, and the value of the deal reaches 3.95 billion euros, in order to increase the number of aircraft The Rafale in the Egyptian Air Force to 54 fighters ... # Long live Egypt ✌️🇪🇬 pic.twitter.com/hdahWZyS3h
- EslAm OthmAn🦅🇪🇬 (@ Eslll7970Gladii) May 3, 2021
Al Rafal morning, you crowded
There are those who are distinguished by rage and oppression now because they are always seeking to possess the latest generations of fighters to overcome the complex of their historical fear of Cairo, thinking that they have achieved air superiority, so they are shocked by # Egypt by confirming its supremacy with corresponding decades of fighters, kept by the first air force in the Middle East And Africa
- Hasan Sari (@ HasanSari7) May 4, 2021
The Typhoon deal, if it is completed, God willing, it will certainly not include the Meteor missiles, because Egypt is determined with this missile and demanded that it be merged on the Rafale from France, and God willing, the ammunition manufacturing deal will be completed with MBDA and we will enter the era of manufacturing smart ammunition.
- mohamed Bozina (@BBozina) April 30, 2021
Egypt and France sign a new military deal worth 3.95 billion euros to supply the Egyptian Air Force with 30 Rafale fighter jets, with this deal increasing the number of Rafale fighters in Egypt to 54
SU35
Rafale
Meg29
F-16
Apache
Mirage
fighters The Egyptian Air Force is indomitable 🇪🇬✌️
A fleet fit for Egypt 💚 pic.twitter.com/ZQreX0rCla
- Ahmed Al-Najjar (@Riverfolk) May 3, 2021
French economic boom
French Armies Minister Florence Parly said that the contract signed by Egypt to buy another 30 Rafale combat aircraft produced by the French "Dassault" aviation company would provide 7,000 job opportunities in France over 3 years.
Shares of Dassault Aviation increased by 4.8% in early trade, to be among the best performers on the SBF-120 (SBF-120) stock index in Paris.
French Minister of Armies: The Rafale aircraft deal for Egypt will provide 7 thousand jobs https://t.co/TBI1BXMnx3 pic.twitter.com/JiEmezstqZ
- Electronic Home (@Watanews) May 4, 2021
The French Minister of Armies praises the Rafale deal and describes # Egypt as a strategic partner https://t.co/DEaTKBHtLG# Supplement pic.twitter.com/Od1uLle53y
- Mulhak Supplement 🇱🇧 (@Mulhak) May 4, 2021
The announcement by the Egyptian military spokesman came after the French investigative website Disclose revealed that a deal was concluded between Cairo and Paris on April 26th, worth 3.95 billion euros (4.75 billion dollars) to buy 30 Rafale fighters, in addition to a number of missiles.
The site revealed that this deal is supposed to be funded by a loan from French banking institutions with a French government guarantee, which was confirmed by the Egyptian military spokesman.
The new Rafale deal is the second of its kind, as Paris signed an agreement with Cairo in February 2015 to buy 24 planes, for about $ 6 billion. The deal also included the "Frim" frigate and short and medium-range missiles, and the agreement was signed in the presence of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. And the defense ministers of the two countries.
In July of the same year, Egypt received the first batch of the deal - which included 3 aircraft - at a ceremony held at Easter Air Force Base (southern France), and the delivery of the aircraft was followed by succession.