President Francois Hollande and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani signed a Euro 6.3 Billion (US$ 7.02 Billion) agreement on 4th May for the sale of 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale Fighter jets. The contract, the third this year for Dassault Aviation, after deals to sell Rafale jets to Egypt and India, also includes MBDA Missiles, and the training of 36 Qatari pilots and 100 technicians by the French Military.
"It's a good choice," said President Hollande, who had talks with Sheikh Tamim and went later to Saudi Arabia, where he attended a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh.
Hollande said there could be options for further sales of the Rafales in Qatar. Dassault Aviation is also in talks aimed at supplying 16 of the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) to Malaysia and has resumed discussions over potential fighter sales to another Gulf Arab state, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Highlighting the possibilities in the region, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian flew to Abu Dhabi ahead of the Qatar signing ceremony. Le Drian, seen as the architect of Rafale's recent successes, met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed for an hour to discuss the jets, two years after talks with the UAE were stalled. The discussions went well and now negotiations were in an "active phase".