24/02/2012
According to a French defence official, France may sell Mirage F-1 fighter jets to Libya. France is currently replacing its Mirage fleet by Dassault’s Rafale aircraft. French Defence Minister Gérard Longuet will visit Libya on 25-26 February. Before 1988’s arms embargo, Tripoli had bought French aircraft for the first time in the late 1970s. In 2005, both countries agreed on a contract worth about 100 million Euros ($133 million) for 12 Mirage F-1, with Thales and Safran as suppliers. International concerns about the situation in Libya have recently grown due to continued rivalries between different militias and the lack of popular support for the National Transitional Council.
Considering the unstable situation in Libya, is such an armaments deal the right decision for a European government? Discuss this and many other questions in the forum on the lessons learned from the Libya campaign of the 2012 Security Jam! Register now to share your views online from 19 to 23 March!