Thewesternbalkans
The Serbian government is close to signing a contract with French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation for the acquisition of 12 Rafale multipurpose fighter jets. This development was confirmed by the office of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić following a series of high-level talks.
During his two-day visit to France on April 8-9, Aleksandar Vučić held discussions with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron over a possible sale of Rafales. “The contract is expected to be signed in the next two months and in the presence of the President of France”, Vučić announced.
Financial details of the potential deal have not been announced, but in February 2023, Vučić said that the purchase of the Rafales would represent Serbia’s largest military purchase, “amounting to 3 billion euros.”
Aleksandar Vučić also met with the Minister of the French Army Sebastien Lecornu. “A good and substantial discussion with Minister Sebastien Lecornu about cooperation between our Ministry of Defence and the French defence ministry and between our defence industries and about various experiences and technologies, as well as about acquisitions of leading-edge weapons and equipment for defence purposes,” Vučić wrote in a post on his Instagram account.
Comment: Serbia’s interest in the Rafale jets is not new. The country has been contemplating this purchase for over two years, with initial discussions revolving around the acquisition of six jets.
An agreement would represent a significant shift in the Serbian Air Force — a move to modern Western fighters as it divests of Soviet-era fighter jets, including MiG-21 and MiG-29 platforms.
The move comes in the wake of Croatia’s acquisition of 12 used Rafale jets from France in November 2021, which prompted Vučić to hint at Serbia’s potential interest in bolstering its own air force capabilities with the French-manufactured jets.
Serbia remains militarily neutral, but leads the Western Balkans in military spending.
