Dassault Aviation has delivered the first three of 24 Rafale fighters to Egypt, just five months after Egypt's decision to acquire the aircraft.

The delivery took place at the company's flight test center at Istres, France, in a ceremony attended by the Egyptian ambassador to the country.

"This contract constitutes a new milestone in the cooperation between Dassault Aviation and Egypt since the 1970s – more than 40 years of an exemplary partnership marked by commitment and mutual trust," said Dassault Aviation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eric Tappier said. "After the Mirage 5, the Alpha Jet and the Mirage 2000, the Rafale is the fourth Dassault aircraft to fly in Egyptian colors, and Egypt is the first export customer for the Rafale, as it was for the Mirage 2000.

"On behalf of Dassault Aviation and its 8,000 employees, its partners Thales and Snecma and the 500 sub-contractors, I thank the Egyptian authorities for the trust they have placed in us once again, and also the authorities and the French armed forces without whose support this success would not have been possible."

Egyptian pilots trained by Dassault Aviation were flying the aircraft to Egypt.