President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, engaged in discussions with French aerospace company Dassault Aviation regarding the potential acquisition of 12 Rafale multirole combat aircraft, alongside broader bilateral cooperation, as confirmed by the Presidential Office.
President Vucic remarked, “Our consultations with Dassault not only focused on the Rafale aircraft but also encompassed other dimensions of partnership. We anticipate signing a contract that will markedly enhance our national security,” according to a statement released by his press office on Monday.
During a diplomatic visit to France scheduled for April 8-9, President Vucic met with French President Emmanuel Macron. The talks addressed strategic cooperation between Serbia and France, with a focus on defence, energy, and high-technology sectors among other areas.
The Serbian government has been contemplating the acquisition of Rafale jets for over two years. French media, in April 2022, noted that initial discussions involved six aircraft, but this figure was later revised to 12.
Following Croatia’s procurement of 12 used Rafale jets from France in November 2021, President Vucic suggested in an interview with local broadcaster TV Prva that Serbia might similarly consider such an acquisition.
This potential purchase would significantly modernize Serbia’s Air Force, which currently relies primarily on Soviet-era MiG-21 and MiG-29 fighters, as well as the older Yugoslav-made Soko J-22 Orao and Soko G-4 Super Galeb combat aircraft.
