French President Emmanuel Macron and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Thursday, November 25 in Zagreb, announced the sale of 12 used Rafale fighter jets to Croatia, for around one billion euros.

During a signing session, the two French and Croatian leaders signed a strategic partnership - no French president had visited the Croatian capital since 1991. Then, the Croatian Minister of Defense, Mario Banozic, signed two contracts relating to the aircraft with its French counterpart, Florence Parly, and with Éric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, manufacturer of the Rafale.

"It is a sovereign choice, the contract we signed this morning is a historic choice," said Emmanuel Macron.

"This will be the cement of a strategic convergence between our two countries and lays the foundations for a Europe of defense", he added.

I have just signed the agreement for the acquisition of Rafale by Croatia as part of the visit of the President of the Republic to Zagreb.

A strong act for defense Europe.

Croatia is the third European country to equip itself with the Rafale (🇫🇷🇬🇷🇭🇷).

pic.twitter.com/PVB3VZDkmJ

- Florence Parly (@florence_parly) November 25, 2021

"These are planes which will influence the Croatian standing on the international scale and allow us to contribute within the framework of NATO and Croatian defense missions", added Andrej Plenkovic.

With this acquisition, announced in May, Zagreb intends to modernize its armed forces and carries out its largest arms order since the Balkan war (1991-2001) and independence, proclaimed on June 25, 1991.

"This is not only a commercial contract, but also the strengthening of strategic cooperation" between the two countries, underlines the Elysee Palace.

The first six Rafale will be delivered between the third quarter of 2023 and early 2024, the other six before spring 2025. 

The contract relates to the sale of 12 Rafale belonging today to the French Air and Space Army, and to the training of Croatian Air Force personnel.

The CEO of Dassault Aviation has praised "a new page for the Rafale", which took many years to export but has landed several contracts since 2015.

Croatia and France finalize the acquisition of the Rafale https://t.co/qvALayBDyt


Croatia and France finalize #Rafale acquisition https://t.co/yHUkJw09vQ pic.twitter.com/OXTAYkdBO7

- Dassault Aviation (@Dassault_OnAir) November 25, 2021

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