UAE signs $19 billion fighter jet deal with France
The sale of Dassault Rafale jets and Caracal helicopters marks Paris' largest foreign military sale to date.
The United Arab Emirates agreed to buy 80 Rafale fighter jets and 12 military helicopters from France on Friday in a landmark deal expected to bolster ties between the two allies.
President Emmanuel Macron and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan finalized the 17 billion-euro ($19.2 billion) sale in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The massive deal – Paris’ largest overseas arms sale to date – took more than a decade to complete. It comes as France is looking to boost its defense industry and build influence in the Middle East.
“This French commitment to the region, this active cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the clear positions we have taken mean that we have increased our proximity to the UAE,” Reuters quoted Macron as saying today.
