UAE and France sign deal for 80 Rafale fighter jets | World Defense

UAE and France sign deal for 80 Rafale fighter jets

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UAE and France sign deal for 80 Rafale fighter jets

December 3, 2021
Last Updated 6 minutes ago

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Dec 3 (Reuters) - France and the United Arab Emirates confirmed on Friday that they had signed deal on the supply of 80 Rafale warplanes, manufactured by French company Dassault Aviation .

French President Emmanuel Macron has forged a good relationship with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (MBZ), with investments flowing between both countries. Paris has a permanent military base in the Emirati capital.
 

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Cementing ties, UAE buys 80 French-made Rafale warplanes

Author of the article:
Reuters
John Irish

Publishing date:
Dec 03, 2021 • 8 minutes ago

DUBAI — The United Arab Emirates ordered 80 Rafale fighter jets on Friday, the largest order ever for the warplane, a multi-billion dollar arms contract that deepens economic and political ties with France.

French President Emmanuel Macron began a two-day trip to the Gulf on Friday, and will also visit Qatar and Saudi Arabia. His visit comes at a time when Gulf Arab states have voiced uncertainty about the United States’ focus on the region even as they seek more weapons from their key security ally.

The French leader has forged a good relationship with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (MBZ) with investments flowing between both countries. Paris has a permanent military base in the Emirati capital.


“In addition to the presence of three French military bases on UAE territory, this mutual trust translates into the acquisition of 80 Rafale planes, 12 Caracal helicopters, and associated elements,” the French presidency said in a statement after a signing ceremony between MBZ and Macron on the sidelines of the Dubai Expo 2020.

Dassault shares rose 6% on the announcement.

The deal, which could be worth at least $15 billion, is the biggest bulk purchase of the Dassault-made Rafale, other than by the French army, and comes after deals in Greece, Egypt and Croatia this year.

The on-off negotiations for the Rafale fighter jets have been going on for more than a decade with Abu Dhabi publicly rebuffing France’s offer to supply 60 Rafale jets in 2011 as “uncompetitive and unworkable.” Abu Dhabi already has Mirage warplanes.


Defense sources said the Rafale would replace the Mirage 2000 fleet and is unlikely to displace the American F-35 as the UAE continues to hedge its security with two major suppliers, France and the United States. (Additional reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Tim Hepher, Karishma Singh and David Evans)


EDIT: OP updated 20mins ago by Reuters

Cementing ties with France, UAE places $19 bln order for warplanes, helicopters

 
Last edited:

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UAE and France sign deal for 80 Rafale fighter jets

December 3, 2021
Last Updated 6 minutes ago

View attachment 18592


Dec 3 (Reuters) - France and the United Arab Emirates confirmed on Friday that they had signed deal on the supply of 80 Rafale warplanes, manufactured by French company Dassault Aviation .

French President Emmanuel Macron has forged a good relationship with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (MBZ), with investments flowing between both countries. Paris has a permanent military base in the Emirati capital.
Replacement of Mirages 2000 or additional jet ?
 

Khafee

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More on the F4 standard:




The first Rafale F4s could enter service in 2023, even though its development is scheduled to be completed in 2025. The new fighters will be part of the fifth production tranche (2019-2025), delivering on French and export orders.

In the future the Rafale F4 airframe will be upgraded with low-observability modifications which will made the aircraft able to old its own against future fighters.
 

Khafee

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The F4 with its new low-observability modifications, and ability to control UCAV's, like those below, brings a new level of technology & capability.


 

Gripen9

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Wow this is a $25B+ deal?
B/w F-16 blk60, Rafales and F-35 will make UAEAF the most strongest AF in the region by a mile!

Hopefully UAE got massive concessions from the french vis a vis ToT or local offsets to kickstart its aero industry.
 

Cookie Monster

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Additional. The M2k9's will fly for at least a decade.
Considering the UAE's work with LM on block 60 F16s...
...and some partial ToT if I recall...wouldn't it have been better to build off of that and go for block 70?

Same training, same spares, logistics, etc. It would have been much more streamlined and overall cheaper for the same quantity of jets. F16 block 70 is no slouch either...and can go toe to toe roughly with other 4++ gen fighters. Plus the French stuff is usually the most expensive(though capable) as far as western equipment goes. Personally based off UAE's efforts to kickstart its own indigenous defense industry...I would think that throwing all that money at LM(building off of block 60s history)...US might have even allowed UAE to integrate UAE's own weapons onto F16s if this same contract for this much money was given to them. Stuffing the pockets of LM and the fat politicians would also have gone a long way for the F35 acquisition.
 

Gripen9

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Considering the UAE's work with LM on block 60 F16s...
...and some partial ToT if I recall...wouldn't it have been better to build off of that and go for block 70?

Same training, same spares, logistics, etc. It would have been much more streamlined and overall cheaper for the same quantity of jets. F16 block 70 is no slouch either...and can go toe to toe roughly with other 4++ gen fighters. Plus the French stuff is usually the most expensive(though capable) as far as western equipment goes. Personally based off UAE's efforts to kickstart its own indigenous defense industry...I would think that throwing all that money at LM(building off of block 60s history)...US might have even allowed UAE to integrate UAE's own weapons onto F16s if this same contract for this much money was given to them. Stuffing the pockets of LM and the fat politicians would also have gone a long way for the F35 acquisition.

I think there is a political aspect to it as well. UAE wants to (and can afford to) diversify it defense supply. It also sends a signal to the US if they are still ambivalent regarding the F-35 order.
 

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I think there is a political aspect to it as well. UAE wants to (and can afford to) diversify it defense supply. It also sends a signal to the US if they are still ambivalent regarding the F-35 order.
Yes u r right this could be due to a political move...
...but looking at UAE's history...I have always admired their long term policies. They take very shrewd and calculated decisions. I think it's a bit too over ambitious if the UAE is trying to use France to signal to the US about anything...or vice versa...
...bcuz at the end of the day France and US are much closer allies(historically) than any pull UAE might have on them. Stuff like that submarine deal falling apart and going over to the US...much bigger issues have occurred and it all ends up as water under the bridge when they wanna unite against some country.

UAE is much smarter than this...and seeing Egypt's and Argentina's examples...
...Egypt having toothless F16s and for their Rafale purchase there are still limitations on certain weapons that they can acquire with it IIRC.
...Argentina flat out being barred by certain products(like French Exocet) due to UK's request.

other such examples exist. I don't think it's viable or sustainable option to use the western countries against each other...bcuz they have historically sided with each other...and acted with much more unity(something other countries especially Muslim countries can only wish for).
Any benefit of such a move would be very shortlived...and in the long run may be immaterial or not felt in the big scheme of things...
...if not outright backfiring.
 

Gripen9

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Yes u r right this could be due to a political move...
...but looking at UAE's history...I have always admired their long term policies. They take very shrewd and calculated decisions. I think it's a bit too over ambitious if the UAE is trying to use France to signal to the US about anything...or vice versa...
...bcuz at the end of the day France and US are much closer allies(historically) than any pull UAE might have on them. Stuff like that submarine deal falling apart and going over to the US...much bigger issues have occurred and it all ends up as water under the bridge when they wanna unite against some country.

UAE is much smarter than this...and seeing Egypt's and Argentina's examples...
...Egypt having toothless F16s and for their Rafale purchase there are still limitations on certain weapons that they can acquire with it IIRC.
...Argentina flat out being barred by certain products(like French Exocet) due to UK's request.

other such examples exist. I don't think it's viable or sustainable option to use the western countries against each other...bcuz they have historically sided with each other...and acted with much more unity(something other countries especially Muslim countries can only wish for).
Let me re-phrase. I was not implying that UAE use France against US but it let's US know that UAE has other options available.
Even though US/France are defense partners , they also have a prickly relationship as shown by the current AUKUS sub kerfefle over Australian buy.
 

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Considering the UAE's work with LM on block 60 F16s...
...and some partial ToT if I recall...wouldn't it have been better to build off of that and go for block 70?

I think they just wanna spend money on shinny jets just like they do on shinny cars and big buildings
 

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I think they just wanna spend money on shinny jets just like they do on shinny cars and big buildings
When it comes to their cities, development, civilian matters, etc...then sure. As far as defense goes...UAE thinks much more pragmatically and long term than other surrounding nations IMO.
 
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