No, the contract Rafale Egyptian does not threaten French taxpayers

Since the announcement of the signing ofa new contract for the acquisition of 30 aircraft Rafale by Egypt for € 4 billion, a misunderstanding spreads on social networks, based in part on a misinterpretation of the situation by certain French media and by AFP, according to which this contract could ultimately threaten French taxpayers, since the State French guaranteed 85% of the amount borrowed by Cairo from French banks in a 10-year loan to finance the operation. As we will see in this article, not only is there no objective reason to anticipate a default on the part of Egypt, but above all, even if this were to occur, at no time did the French taxpayer will need to be called upon to balance the public accounts on this issue.

First of all, it is important to remember that this new contract is not the only arms contract linking France and Egypt. The country had notably, in 2015, been the first export customer of the French aircraft, initiating a dynamic which today makes Rafale the most exported combat aircraft of its generation in the world with 144 units ordered, where the Typhoon European lines up 123 export orders; the F/A 18 Super Hornet and its electronic warfare version EA-18 Growler 119 orders; the F16 Block 70/72 Viper 129 orders; the Swedish Gripen, all versions combined, 98 orders; and the Russian Su35 64 orders. In addition, Cairo ordered 3 years ago the modernization of its 24 Rafale to the F3R standard, and Naval Group is currently completing the construction of 4 Gowind 2500 corvettes, after the country acquired the 2 BPC Mistrals initially built for Russia, and a FREMM frigate. However, to date, Cairo has honored all of its financial commitments, and presupposing that it will not do so with regard to this new contract simply has no basis.

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