Six Rafale of the Hellenic Air Drive (HAF), operated by its pilots, took off from the Dassault Aviation web site in Istres to the Tanagra Air Base, the place they have been welcomed in a ceremony by the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accompanied by the Minister of Nationwide Protection Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos and Senior Greek authorities. Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, was additionally current to welcome their arrival. The entry into operational service within the Hellenic Air Drive’s 332 Squadron of those first six Rafale plane comes as a proof of the standard of the partnership between France and Greece, and happens just one 12 months after the signature of the contract for 18 plane.
“The mastery with which the Hellenic Air Drive carried out this primary ferry flight is a sworn statement to the excellence of our cooperation and the energy of our historic relationship with Greece for greater than 45 years. Due to our mobilization, we have been capable of meet the expectations of the Greek authorities in file time, who now have the Rafale on nationwide territory to strengthen the safety and sovereignty of the nation. It additionally attests to the excellent high quality of our plane, confirmed by its export success. Lastly, it displays our complete dedication to assembly the wants of the HAF and to collaborating in Greece’s strategic ambitions,” declared Éric Trappier on the finish of the ceremony.
Commercial
It’s a testimony to the wonderful relation between French and Greek authorities in addition to between the Hellenic Air Drive and Dassault Aviation groups. The experience of the coaching offered, particularly by Dassault Aviation, on the Mérignac Conversion Coaching Middle (CTC), to Greek pilots, mechanics and HAF technicians, undeniably contributes to the success of this primary ferry. The coaching of personnel will proceed within the coming months in France and Greece. The supply of the following HAF Rafale will begin on the finish of 2022 with the target to have all of the fleet deployed at Tanagra Air Base by the summer time of 2023.
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter plane designed and constructed by Dassault Aviation. Geared up with a variety of weapons, the Rafale is meant to carry out air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, floor help, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. The Rafale is known as an “omnirole” plane by Dassault. Launched in 2001, the Rafale is being produced for each the French Air Drive and for carrier-based operations within the French Navy. The Rafale has been marketed for export to a number of international locations, and was chosen for buy by the Egyptian Air Drive, the Indian Air Drive, the Qatar Air Drive, the Hellenic Air Drive, the Croatian Air Drive and the United Arab Emirates Air Drive. The Rafale has been utilized in fight over Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria.
