Croatia has received the last of ordered Rafale fighters

The Croatian Air Force has received the last of the ordered French Rafale fighters.

This was reported on the official page of the Croatian Ministry of Defense on the X network.

The last, twelfth, Rafale fighter jet landed at Franjo Tuđman Airport, thus forming a complete squadron of this type of aircraft.

All the fighters became part of the 194th Fighter Squadron of the 91st Wing, finally replacing the MiG-21 fighters that had long been the backbone of the Croatian Air Force.

“Historic completion of the fighter squadron of the Croatian Air Force: welcome, twelfth!” the Croatian Ministry of Defense wrote.

Croatia signed an agreement with France in November 2021 to purchase 12 Rafale F3R fighters to modernize its air force. The first six aircraft arrived in April 2024, and the last was delivered in April 2025.

The contract is worth €999 million, payable in five stages between 2022 and 2026. The contract covers not only the supply of aircraft, but also weapons, spare parts, logistics support for three years, and training for pilots and technicians in France.

Delivery began on April 25, 2024 with the first six aircraft, followed by monthly deliveries, with the last fighter delivered on April 26, 2025.

It should be noted that the fighter jets are being delivered from the French Air Force.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that India planned to order 40 additional Rafale fighters due to delays in the selection of a new multi-role fighter for the country’s air force.

The agreement for the purchase of additional Rafale fighter jets is to be signed on April 28-29, 2025. It will take place in parallel with the contract for Indian naval aviation.

According to the publication, the negotiations held in early April indicate preparations for signing an agreement on the second tranche of procurement, which is also described as the so-called “fast track” MRFA-plus.