What does France pay per airframe? Less than the equivalent of $75 million per frame I think. I cannot understand how $9 billion for 60 frames + extras (training, ancilliary equipment etc) would not give Dassault a much, much higher profit than supplying 60 frames to AdA for less than $4 billion.
I do appreciate, though, that if production rate is 1 Rafale per month, an order for an extra 60 would require a considerable ramp up in production which may increase costs to Dassault. Even if all deliveries to French forces were stopped for 5 years, UAE would not want delivery at a rate of 1 Rafale per month.
If it’s true that the UAE proposed 7 billion for the 60 fighters, then it’s goes 117 million per airframe, which is ridiculously low if you count the whole deal with support for many years, infrastructures and all.
Keep in mind that in addition to the price the french pay there was 75% of the development price, and that Dassault financed 25% of the cost of development which it still has to recoup with export sales. It can’t accept to sell for less that what they sell to the AdlA, or MN, knowing that those actually financed 75% of the development.
If the UAE don’t want to shell the money, then let’s just let them buy more block 60. But if they want the best multirole fighter in service at the moment, then be prepared to pay the price.
Remember the UAE deal, where the manufacturer of the Leclerc tank actually lost money on the deal. There is absolutely no reason to sell off our highest technologies if there’s no profit to be made.
Nic
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