French Air and Space Force Rafale B/C Ordered

France announced on 12 January 2024 that the DGA procurement agency had placed an order in December 2023 for 42 Rafale single-seat fighters for the French Air and Space Force, worth about 5 billion euros. The fifth tranche of the programme, it brings France's total Rafale orders to 234 aircraft since 1993, and twelve of the 42 replace jets transferred to Croatia. The aircraft will be built to the F4 standard, upgradeable to F5 in the mid-2030s, and delivered between 2027 and 2032. The armed forces minister said the order was good news for French sovereignty and security, and Dassault Aviation's chief executive called it an asset for exports.