Now that Libya is free from decades of pariah status, and embargo, they have been looking to sell what they have to obtain new weapons. Libya approached France with an interesting offer; lots of useful information on terrorist groups operating in France, and other European countries, in return for a deep discount on some new warplanes. The French are eager to deal, and have other things to trade, like still pending criminal charges against some prominent Libyans. This makes these arrangements rather more personal for the Libyan leadership, and more likely that such deals are actually being made.