- PARIS: France’s defense minister has warned that production could be stopped on the country’s Rafale fighter plane if foreign buyers don’t materialize.
Gerard Longuet maintains the Rafale is an “excellent plane,” though he acknowledges it’s more expensive than its US rival. The plane has long failed to win any contracts abroad and is currently used solely by the French air force
Longuet said Wednesday in an interview with LCP television that “if (French aviation company) Dassault doesn’t sell the plane abroad, its production will in fact be stopped.”
He stressed that the Rafale remains in the running for deals with India and the United Arab Emirates.
Last month, Switzerland opted against the Rafale and ordered 22 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets instead.