Saudi Arabia mulls French fighter jet purchase amid strained relations with US after cut in oil production

In December, France’s La Tribune financial newspaper, citing unnamed sources, reported that Saudi Arabia was considering acquiring 100 to 200 Dassault Rafale fighters. The report comes amid developments suggesting Riyadh’s traditional suppliers may not be as forthcoming with jets in the future. ... However, in the near-term, Saudi Arabia may find Rafales more burdensome than beneficial, given its extensive investment in US and British aircraft. “I would be surprised if the Royal Saudi Air Force procured Rafale, given the size and well-established state of its F-15 and Typhoon fleets,” Justin Bronk, an expert on airpower at the Royal United Services Institute, said.