Photos show that deliveries of Rafales to the Egyptian Air Force resumed, with the country planning a total fleet of 54 aircraft.
Images appeared online on Nov. 26 show three of the Egyptian Air Force’s (EAF) Rafale fighters taxiing at Dassault Aviation’s facility in Mérignac, near Bordeaux. One post by ‘Philipe Amiel’ on X said the three single-seat variants, with serials EM12, EM13 and EM14, were being readied to fly to Egypt. There was no official statement from Dassault, the Egyptian MoD or the EAF at the time of filing this report.
The EAF is expected to become the second largest user of the Rafale after France, with a planned fleet of 54 jets, following the May 2021 contract for 30 additional aircraft. The service currently operates 24 Rafale fighters, not including the fresh deliveries that have taken place recently.
One of the most large and well-equipped air forces among Arab nations, the EAF operates a large fleet of multiple types of aircraft. This includes roughly over 200 F-16s, 46 Russian MiG-29M/M2 and around 20 Mirage 2000s.
Conducting comprehensive exercises with China’s PLA Air Force – such the one that included refueling the MiG-29s from Y-20 tankers for the first time – Egypt also exploits competing geopolitical interests to secure Western arms sales.
𝑬𝒈𝒚𝒑𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝑹𝒂𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑱𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭 𝑶𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓
Egypt has received another batch of three Rafale fighter jets, carrying tail numbers EM12, EM13, and EM14, as part of its 2021 contract for 30 Rafale… pic.twitter.com/1QxBwGoELZ
— Global Defense Insight (@Defense_Talks) November 26, 2025
This reflected in Egypt being approved a $4.67 billion worth package on Jul. 24, 2025, for 100 AMRAAM-ER (Extended Range) missiles, 100 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs, 600 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles, and four AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar systems, among other equipment.
Egyptian Rafale program
Egypt’s Rafale journey began on Feb. 16, 2015, following a $5.9 billion deal with France for 24 Rafale jets – its current operational fleet. According to AIN, the composition is eight single-seat EMs and 16 two-seater DMs.
Between three to six aircraft were delivered by July 2015 from French stocks, to enable operations by the Suez Canal expansion’s opening in August. By November 2017, the EAF received seven EMs, with subsequent deliveries completing the fleet of 24.
An option for 12 additional units went unexercised. The current fleet of Rafales is operated by the 203rd Tactical Fighter Wing’s 34th and 36th Tactical Fighter Squadrons at Gebel el Basur Air Base, northwest of Cairo.
This exercise lasted 18 days, pretty long
China also brought 1 KJ-500 & Z20KS (foldable + fit in Y20)
Also practiced refueling w/ Egyptian Mig-29
PLAAF was showcasing how it does combat to Egyptians, including likely satellite ISR
Also showed it can bring emergency supply anytime… https://t.co/fKQjBf1IW8 pic.twitter.com/2DNOYrAtCr
— tphuang (@tphuang) May 5, 2025
Early in May 2021, Cairo signed a € 3.75 billion order with Dassault Aviation – along with separate contracts with weapons maker MBDA and engine manufacturer Safran – for 30 F3R standard Rafales, bringing its total future fleet to 54 aircraft. This makes the EAF the second-largest Rafale fleet after France.
This acquisition also offset a cancelled Su-35 buy from Russia. Production delays and the loss of one airframe during testing slowed deliveries ana prompted Dassault to build a replacement.
“[The Rafale contract with Egypt] demonstrates the satisfaction of the Egyptian authorities with the smooth execution of the first contract. Finally, it confirms the technological and operational excellence of the Rafale and its export success,” a Nov. 15, 2021 Dassault press release said.
🇪🇬 Egypt has received the second batch of Rafale F3R fighter jets from 🇫🇷 France, under the second contract signed in 2021 for 30 aircraft. #Egypt #France #Rafale #Defense #Aerospace #EgyptianAirForce #DassaultAviation pic.twitter.com/gATbrpZu6x
— Global Defense Insight (@Defense_Talks) October 9, 2025
According to Military Africa, the Egyptian Air Force received its second batch of three Rafale F3R fighter jets in early October 2025. This batch included two single-seat EMs (EM10 and EM11) and one two-seat DM (DM21) which, following test flights in France, flew to Gebel El Basur Air Base.
One set of images from Oct. 9 showed DM21 and EM11 at Mérignac, with Phillipe Amiel counting three aircraft a day prior, on Oct. 8, saying they too were destined for Egypt.
3 #Rafale en route pour l’Égypte. Décollage de Mérignac hier matin, tôt. https://t.co/wGKANnPmUa
📸 Vincent Prince -Bordeaux Mérignac Spotters pic.twitter.com/dhcej92LP0
— Philippe AMIEL (@RafaleFan) October 8, 2025
“Transfers began late 2024 with EM09, progressed to DM18 and DM19 evaluations in April 2025, and now continue in groups through 2026, coordinated by Dassault, Safran, and Egyptian crews,” MilitaryAfrica added. Thus, including the new deliveries and the new Rafales seen at Dassault’s facility, Egypt’s fleet of the French fighter stands at 30-31 aircraft.
Under EAF service, as of March 2023, the Rafales have crossed 10,000 flight hours, the Egyptian MoD had announced at the time.
Egyptian Air Force
The EAF meanwhile continued taking part in drills with Western air forces throughout the year. A recent video, shared by leading defense journalist Babak Taghvaee showed a WVR (Within Visual Range) engagement between an USAF F-16C from the 55th Fighter Squadron (55th FS) and an EAF Rafale.
This occurred during Exercise #BrightStar25 in #Egypt on August 30, 2025, and was released only recently. An #USAF F-16C pilot from the 55th Fighter Squadron outmaneuvered an #Egyptian Rafale DM in a dogfight. While the Rafale is generally superior in close air combat, a… pic.twitter.com/F2JWoelJWI
— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) November 10, 2025
It is claimed that the F-16 gained an advantage over the Rafale, but there is no way to independently verify the claim – at least without the HUD (Heads-Up Display). Also, without knowing scenarios and rules of engagement, any consideration about this encounter would not be accurate.
EAF F-16s also prominently figured in the multinational Exercise Bright Star two months ago.
Big thanks to Raphaël Savry for allowing us to use his photo for this article!
