Rafale: Dassault Aviation close to a deal in the UAE



A contract for the sale of 60 Rafale could be quickly announced in early March. Paris and Dassault Aviation have managed to turn the situation yet compromised during the Dubai Airshow.



Good news can lead to another .... It's only a coincidence with the entry into exclusive negotiations with New Delhi but Dassault Aviation would also close to agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the sale of 60 Rafale. A visit of Nicolas Sarkozy had even been scheduled for 12 February in Abu Dhabi, but finally it was postponed "a few days," says one to "latribune.fr". Another source says that the trip was postponed in early March although some observers believe it would be a bit early. Rather "late March, early April".




The relationship between Dassault Aviation and Abu Dhabi, who had seriously degraded when the Dubai Air Show last November, are again looking good. Especially as the CEO of Dassault Aviation, Charles Edelstenne, who had taken a Falcon just days after the end of the Dubai Airshow, to put things flat with Abu Dhabi, was quickly able to reconnect with the Emirati authorities . Abu Dhabi had taken advantage of living Dubai Airshow, a nightmare for the French camp, to announce it in competition against the Rafale, the Eurofighter (BAE Systems, EADS and Italy's Finmeccanica) to the great surprise of the French. "Everything has been unlocked" between the UAE and Dassault Aviation, says to you "latribune.fr".

In recent days, the middle of the defense is a little levitation, spreading a very positive trend on the ongoing negotiations, "the record is very, very hot." "The good news is as trouble, they fly in flight. Here is the beginning of a squadron of good news", confessed Tuesday the defense minister, Gerard Longuet, without elaborating. "The Indian record will accelerate the UAE," says one to "latribune.fr".

There is still some technical sales points easy to remove. But nothing very serious. "This is a tactic to keep the negotiations warm," says one. Including the Rafale should be equipped with air-air missile Meteor long range but it will not have the motor 9 tons, two requirements of the UAE. However, France appears to have undertaken to include the 63 Mirage 2000-9. The new Libyan army could acquire all or part of this fleet.

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