Croatia signs contracts for 12 Rafale fighters

Almost six months since selecting the Rafale fighter, Croatia on 25 November signed the contracts for the acquisition of 12 aircraft from France: 10 single seaters and two twin seaters.

On the second day of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Croatia, Croatian Defence Minister Mario Banožić and his French counterpart, Florence Parly, signed a technical agreement on defence co-operation. Banožić also signed contracts on the Rafale procurement with Dassault CEO Eric Trappier, MBDA CEO Eric Beranger, and the director of Safran’s Defence Division, Frédéric Mazzanti.

The Rafales will be up to 14 years old when they arrive in Croatia, with around 3,800 flight hours per aircraft remaining. Deliveries are expected to start in late 2023, with the first actual arrival of eight aircraft in Croatia during 2024 and the remaining four in early 2025.