FRENCH INDUSTRY hopes of scoring an early export success for the Dassault Rafale have been dealt a heavy blow by the French Government's rejection of pleas that it order at least one squadron for the air force for entry into service by around 2000.
Dassault has been pressurising the Government to support its export effort in places such as the United Arab Emirates by placing an order for the Rafale for the air force in the draft 1997-2002 plan.
The Government says that it cannot afford any new appropriations for the Rafale within this timeframe. Under its revised plans, the aircraft will not enter French air force service before 2004-5.
Defence minister Charles Millon told the Senate defence and foreign affairs committee that such an order would be "too costly". The priority in the 1997-2002 plan is to replace the navy's obsolescent Vought F-8E Crusaders.
The decision is a setback for Dassault, which hoped to use an earlier air force order as a competitive lever against the Eurofighter EF2000. Both aircraft will now enter front-line service at around the same time.
Source: Flight International
