French «Intelligence online» in the article «Riyad veut appater Paris avec un contrat Rafale», with reference to its sources reported that Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia and the Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman appealed to Paris with the request in the coming weeks to submit a proposal for the supply of fighter aircraft Dassault Rafale.
Saudi Arabia wants to buy 72 Rafale Multirole Fighter. The Dassault Rafale is French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation.
France is anticipating an additional pair of export orders for its Rafale fighter, with Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates reportedly the most likely candidates. Reuters also reported Thursday that negotiations between India and France are now also discussing the possible supply of additional Rafales on top of the 36 ordered in April. Malaysia is looking to replace its MiG-29 Fulcrums, with the UAE recently restarting negotiations for the Rafale as it looks to swap out its fleet of Mirage 2000-9 fighters. The Gulf state has previously articulated a potential buy of sixty Rafales.
The Dassault Rafale were developed for the French Air Force and Navy. France’s Air Force and Navy ordered 180 (132 for the air force and 48 for the navy), 100 aircraft had been delivered by the end of 2010.
The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. Ten aircraft are operational on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.