Qatar and Kuwait wait to follow UAE's lead over purchase of Rafale fighters

[Al Bhatti]

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Jan 10, 2012

Qatar and Kuwait wait to follow UAE's lead over purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France

Qatar and Kuwait are interested in buying French Rafale fighter jets but are waiting to see whether the United Arab Emirates will make a purchase first, France's defence minister said yesterday.

"They are in effect interested but they won't know for sure until the first one jumps in," said the minister, Gerard Longuet.

He said he hoped that the UAE, which is talks with France to buy 60 Rafales, would make a decision "within a time frame that will allow its two neighbours, which hope to be interoperable with the Emirates, to make decisions".

Industry experts have estimated that Kuwait needs 18 to 22 fighter jets and that Qatar needs 24.

After opening talks on the purchase in 2008, the UAE said in November that the offer for Rafales from France's Dassault Aviation was uncompetitive and opened up the tender to competition.

France has raised concerns over the future of the Rafale programme, which has struggled to find foreign buyers to support a project that has so far cost more than US$51 billion (Dh187bn).

Mr Longuet warned in December that production on the multi-role fighter could halt if it remains unable to sell any abroad.

Qatar and Kuwait wait to follow UAE's lead over purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France - The National

[persona_non_grata]

Why Qatar and Kuwait are looking towards UAE ?

Kuwait has historically operated American hardware

[Al Bhatti]

Why Qatar and Kuwait are looking towards UAE ?

Kuwait has historically operated American hardware

Sir,

Isn't this a sign that things are indeed changing in the region.

[Zarvan]

Why Qatar and Kuwait are looking towards UAE ?

Kuwait has historically operated American hardware

Is Kuwait replacing its F-18 Planes or Rafale will be in addition to F-18 Planes ?

[Malik Usman]

Kuwait don't need airforce........US already have around 4 to 6 bases in Kuwait now...and they can protect them from any threat other than suck their oil.

[Mosamania]

Why Qatar and Kuwait are looking towards UAE ?

Kuwait has historically operated American hardware

It's called teamwork. They need to see wither to follow the Saudi Typhoon or the UAE Rafale so all mAir Forces can work with each at ease.

[Loki]

That's funny. Didn't the UAE say the Rafale deal was no longer workable?
Double Trouble For Rafale in UAE

News sounds fishy.

[GHOST RIDER]

Kuwaiti F-18s are good
They should replace there A-4 with Rafale
A-4 is an old plane

[Mosamania]

That's funny. Didn't the UAE say the Rafale deal was no longer workable?
Double Trouble For Rafale in UAE

News sounds fishy.

Yeah. Kuwaiti media just said it is not true and wants Dassault to apologize for false media.

[Loki]

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Kuwaiti F-18s are good
They should replace there A-4 with Rafale
A-4 is an old plane

Rafales are too expensive compared to others in its class, and frankly I fail to see much potential for future development of the platform. It's financially not feasible even though the technology is good. Even the Emirates rejected the thing.

Those guys at Dassault are really old-fashioned.

I'd rather straightforwardly go for an F-16 E/F. Or since Kuwait already operates F-18s, the more capable F-18 SH. It's a damn good plane.