In June 2016, Egypt started negotiations with Dassault to acquire 12 additional Rafales, intending to exercise an option of the first contract. An Egyptian delegation visited France in November 2017 for negotiations. On May 2021 Egypt has signed a contract with France to buy 30 Rafale fighter jets in a deal that was worth $4.5bn. Egypt’s defence ministry revealed the deal in a statement early on Tuesday. Egypt’s defence ministry also said the deal would be financed through a loan to be repaid over at least 10 years.
In November 2014, Egypt was reportedly in negotiations with France to purchase 24 to 36 Rafales, subject to a financing agreement. By February 2015, the two countries were negotiating a loan from France’s export credit agency to reach an export agreement for up to 24 Rafale fighters. Egypt hoped to complete deal quickly to have aircraft on display at the inauguration of the Suez Canal expansion in August 2015. On 16 February 2015, Egypt became the Rafale’s first international customer when it officially ordered 24 Rafales.
In July 2015, a ceremony marking Egypt’s acceptance of its first three Rafales, was held at Dassault’s flight test center in Istres. In January 2016, Egypt received three more Rafales for a total of six fighters. All six aircraft are two-seat models (Rafale DM) diverted from deliveries to the French Air Force. Egypt received the third batch of three Rafales flown by Egyptian pilots from France in April 2017; this was included the first single-seat model (Rafale EM) to be delivered to the Egyptian Air Force.
