Greece has signed a contract for the acquisition of 18 Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft for the Hellenic Air Force, as well as a contract for the logistical support of the fleet. The contracts were signed in Athens on Jan. 25 by Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, and Theodoros Lagios, Director General of Armament and Investments of the Greek Ministry of Defense, in the presence of Mrs. Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces, and Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Greek Minister of National Defense.
“Greece is a leading European partner, a major member of NATO and a special partner of France, with which Dassault Aviation has stood steadfastly by its side for more than 45 years. The continuity of our presence in Greece, even in the most difficult times, is a token of the quality of this relationship. That is why I am proud and happy to sign today this contract, which symbolizes the extension of the commitment of Dassault Aviation towards Greece since 1974. I would like to thank the Greek authorities for their renewed confidence in us. I assure them of our total mobilization to achieve the objectives that are defined”, said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
The order for 18 Rafale includes 12 Rafale recently in service with the French Air Force and 6 new Rafale produced at Dassault Aviation plants. To meet the urgent need of the Greek authorities, the deliveries of aircraft will be begin in the summer of 2021 and will be spread over two years. The logistic support contract will support the Hellenic Air Force Rafale’s air activity over four and a half years, maintaining the availability of equipment and systems at the highest level.
As a European country and member of NATO, Greece is a major strategic partner of France. Dassault Aviation is honored by the Greek government’s decision, that extends an uninterrupted partnership for 45 years.The arrival of the Rafale in Greece highlights the quality of the strategic relationship between Greece and France and the continuation of more than forty-five years of solid partnership with Dassault Aviation and its industrial partners Thales and Safran. As with the Mirage F1 in 1974, the Mirage 2000 in 1985 and finally the Mirage 2000-5 in 2000, the Rafale is an opportunity to launch new cooperation’s with the Greek aerospace industry.
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. Introduced in 2001, the Rafale is being produced for both the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations in the French Navy. The Rafale has been marketed for export to several countries, and was selected for purchase by the Indian Air Force, the Egyptian Air Force, the Qatar Air Force and the Hellenic Air Force.
With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets, military drones and space systems. In 2019, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €7,3 billion. The company has 12,750 employees.
