Saudi Defence Minister Views Rafale Demo As Riyadh Seeks 54 Aircraft

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz visited the French frigate “Chevalier Paul” in the Mediterranean Sea in southern France today where he witnessed an air defense exercise with the participation of a number of Rafale aircraft.

Upon his arrival, His Highness was received by the Minister of the Armed Forces of the French Republic, Sébastien Lecornu, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz was given an explanation that included the Rafale jet’s capabilities and the sophisticated and advanced technologies and equipment it contains.

Separately, Dassault Aviation’s CEO, Eric Trappier confirmed that Saudi Arabia is negotiating the purchase of 54 Rafale aircraft.

Speaking to the Association of Defense Journalists in Paris on December 14,, Eric Trappier said that “although Saudi Arabia has traditionally bought British aircraft, the request from Saudi Arabia for 54 Rafales was “independent of the crisis in the Middle East,”he said obliquely referring to Germany  blocked Saudi Arabia’s request for additional Eurofighters over the kingdom’s intervention in Yemen’s civil war.