The first Rafale-B is delivered
on 21 July, one of the 12-second hand (10 B-model single-seater and two C-model
twin seaters) Rafale F3R aircraft in service in the French Air and Space Force.
HAF will also receive six new build fighters by 2023.
News of the delivery comes six months after Greece and France signed a contract for 18 Rafales configured to the latest F3R standard, valued at an estimated EUR1.92 billion (USD2.35 billion).
A separate EUR400
million deal was also signed to purchase MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range
air-to-air missiles (BVRAAMs) and to upgrade missiles in the HAF inventory,
namely Mica air-to-air missiles, Scalp cruise missiles, and Exocet anti-ship
missiles, for carriage by the Rafales.
The aircraft handed
over to the HAF in July is a former French single-seat Rafale B F3R fighter. As
noted by Dassault, this aircraft and the next five from the French inventory
will be used to train HAF pilots and technicians in France. The aircraft will
stay in France for crew training. One fighter will be delivered to HAF each
month until December when the 1st six aircraft will be deployed to Tanagra Air
Base
