With Croatia recently opting for used Rafale F3-R’s in its fighter replacement programme, officials at Swedish defence manufacturer Saab have highlighted a perceived competitive difficulty when pitching new-build platforms against secondhand alternatives.
Competition for the programme included new-build F-16 C/D Block 70 aircraft from the US, while Sweden put forward Saab’s Gripen C/D. Israel meanwhile offered used F-16 C/D Block 30 fighters in service with the Israeli Air Force, with France putting up used Rafale F3-R’s in service with the French Air and Space Force.
The late-May decision by Zagreb was an example of history repeating itself, following the failed 2018 procurement of secondhand Israeli F-16 C/D Barak fighters which was cancelled due to pressure from the US government.
In a statement announcing the Rafale had been selected as winner of the restarted programme, Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said the French offer had been “the best in terms of price”, adding that the platform “is the best solution for Croatia in the long run.”
When delivered the Rafale F3-R fighters will replace the Croat…
