In the presence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and his Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Qatar Armed Forces and Dassault Aviation signed an agreement on future cooperation and the exercise of an option for 12 additional Rafale combat aircraft.

This new order follows on from the contract signed on 4th May 2015 between the State of Qatar and Dassault Aviation for the acquisition of 24 Rafales, thus raising the number of Rafale aircraft operated by the Qatar Emiri Air Force to 36.

Qatar is one of three export customers for the Rafale to date, alongside India (36 aircraft) and Egypt (24 aircraft).

The order is the latest in the country's combat aircraft spending spree over the past couple of years. In addition to the Rafales, Qatar has ordered — or is in the process of ordering — 36 Boeing F-15s and 24 Eurofighter Typhoons.