A European NATO member has upgraded its Soviet-era jets to advanced, 4.5-generation French-made ones.
Croatia’s defense ministry said on Friday that the last of 12 Rafale jets had arrived, with Defense Minister Ivan Anušić describing their purchase as “a project that has strategically transformed the Croatian Air Force.”
Croatia, a country in southern Europe, first announced it was upgrading to the Rafale, made by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation, in 2021. The Rafales are replacing Croatia’s Soviet-era MiG-21 jets.
Rafales are more advanced than the MiG-21, which is still used by many countries.
The Rafale is considered a 4.5-generation aircraft and has advanced tech, like some stealth capabilities and the ability to launch long-range missiles.
Rafale fighter jets fly high
The Rafale was chosen over the likes of Swedish company Saab’s Gripens, Lockheed Martin’s F-16s, and the Eurofighter Typhoon, manufactured by a consortium of Airbus Defense and Space, BAE Systems, and Leonardo.
Rafale sales have been steadily growing as many countries have increased their defense spending, particularly in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This week, India signed a deal with Dassault to buy 26 Rafale fighter jets for its navy.
In a financial report published in March, the company said that “driven by the commercial success of the Rafale, particularly the 30 Export Rafale ordered in 2024, Dassault Aviation’s backlog continues to grow.”
It said the backlog stood at a record of roughly $49 billion.
It also said that 507 Rafale jets had been ordered since the beginning of the program, with more than half for export, and net sales in 2024 amounting to €6.2 billion, or $7.1 billion.
Dassault and other European aircraft makers could get further opportunities as some nations eye US jets like the F-35 more warily amid President Donald Trump’s criticism of long-standing allies and concerns over future access to parts.
A Croatian deal to get secondhand F-16s from Israel collapsed in 2019, during Trump’s first term, over US objections.
The US needs to approve the sale of US-made weaponry, and the US wanted to remove upgrades that were on the jets, which had been central to Croatia’s desire to buy them.
Croatia’s regional strength
The new Rafale jets give Croatia one of the most advanced air forces in Southern Europe.
Other countries in the region are boosting or looking to upgrade their own capabilities, including Serbia, which has a tense relation with Croatia and has agreed to buy 12 Rafale jets.
Croatia, like much of Europe, has increased its defense spending since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It plans to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, and 3% by 2030, which is higher than the current NATO target.
NATO’s Allied Air Command Public Affairs said in December that the adoption of Rafales represented “a significant leap forward in Croatia’s military capabilities” that would heighten Croatia’s interoperability with other NATO members.
“The transition not only enhances Croatia’s defensive and offensive capabilities but also aligns its air force with NATO standards, strengthening the country’s role within the alliance,” it said.
When the first six jets arrived last year, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that “the security of our country has been raised to a level it has never been before.”
He added, “In the Rafale planes, we are gaining the power of deterrence, we are strengthening our strategic partnership with France, we have joined the Dassault family, which significantly changes our role in NATO and the EU.”
Anušić, the defense minister, said other NATO countries will continue monitoring Croatia’s airspace until the Rafales are operational and the pilots trained, which is expected to be early next year at the latest.
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