Libya To Buy 14 French Rafale Fighters: Presidential Source

Libya plans to buy 14 French-made Rafale fighters as well as 35 helicopters and military equipment in a deal worth 4.5 billion euros ($6.6 billion), a French presidential source said Dec. 10.

The two countries signed a “memorandum of understanding” detailing a list of military hardware, including the Rafales and helicopters, which will be negotiated in detail on July 1, the source close to the deal said.

The memorandum of understanding was one of around 10 contracts signed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Moamer Kadhafi on Dec. 10, the first day of the Libyan leader’s five day visit.

Other items on the list include six boats, armored vehicles, anti-aerial attack radars, and the delivery of upgraded Mirage F-1s already bought by Libya.
The sale of the Rafales — if it goes through — will be the first foreign sale of the French-made aircraft.