PARIS: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said he had signed a letter of intent with France to acquire up to 100 Rafale F4 fighter jets as his country looks to strengthen its defenses against Russian aggression.
The order sent shares of French defense group Dassault soaring.
WHAT IS THE RAFALE?
The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. The French group defines it as “omnirole”, able to carry out missions including in-depth strikes, nuclear deterrence, reconnaissance and anti-ship strikes.
It comes in three variants: a single-seater and a two-seater model flown from land bases, as well as a single-seater designed for aircraft carrier operations.
