Serbia hopes to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets in two months - Vucic

"I am very pleased with the results of the talks [with French president Emmanuel Macron]. Pleased because we could in an open way and with specific details discuss all kinds of cooperation with one of the most important countries in the world. I believe we reached some concrete agreements, including on the Rafale purchase, and I expect a contract to be signed in the following two months," Vucic told reporters on Wednesday at the end of his April 8-9 official visit to France. A video file with his statement was uploaded on the website of Tanjug news agency .

Serbia has been considering the purchase of Rafale jets for more than two years now, initially discussing with Dassault Aviation the purchase of six aircraft but subsequently raising the number to 12.

In November 2021, when Croatia bought from France 12 used Rafale jets, Vucic hinted in an interview with local broadcaster TV Prva that Serbia could also decide to acquire such fighter aircraft.

The potential acquisition of Rafale jets would allow Serbia to modernise its Air Force fleet consisting mainly of Soviet-made MiG-21 and MiG-29 fighters as well as old Yugoslav combat aircraft Soko J-22 Orao and Soko G-4 Super Galeb.