Dassault sales likely in Morocco, Libya, maybe India

Dassault president Charles Edelstenne has said the Rafale's deployment with French forces in Afghanistan and its landings and take offs from US aircraft carrier USS Enterprise have added to its ''credibility for export''.

Apart from receiving a Request for Proposals (RFP) from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for its proposed mammoth 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) purchase, Dassault Aviation confirmed that Libya has expressed ''interest'' in its Rafale combat aircraft.

The company also awaits a decision on possible export sales to Morocco. Edelstenne said the negotiations for the sale of around 15 aircraft to Morocco had been completed, and the matter was now in the hands of the two governments.

Dassault is in discussions with Libya, the company said. A contract for the modernisation of 12 of Libya's 38 Mirage F1 aircraft signed at the end of last year with Sofema would not preclude a deal for new Rafales, Edelstenne said.

India, where Dassault's Rafale is competing against Russian and US offerings to replace a fleet of 126 MiG aircraft, "wants technology transfer and industrial offsets in terms of production in India", Edelstenne said, adding that the company was ready to follow the offsets route. In terms of technology transfer, the offsets also concern Dassault's partner Thales, and the French government, which has to say what it is prepared to give, he added.