France, UAE revive Rafale warplane development amid French budget woes
The agreements deepen defence cooperation and add new energy, artificial intelligence and technology partnerships, officials said.
- French President Emmanuel Macron visited Abu Dhabi, where France and the UAE signed an intergovernmental agreement for cooperation on the Dassault Rafale F5 fighter-jet program, deepening bilateral defence ties amid regional instability.
- This partnership seeks to bolster strategic autonomy and reduce dependence on third countries as the Iran war triggers regional uncertainty affecting both nations' security priorities.
- Edge Group, a defence conglomerate with more than 35 companies under its umbrella, is central to the UAE's localisation strategy and played a key role in countering Iranian drones during recent conflict.
- Beyond defence, the countries signed agreements spanning energy and artificial intelligence, including three deals with French AI start-up AMI Labs and a pact between Adnoc Gas and Schneider Electric to enhance operational efficiency.
- These agreements build on strong economic ties: more than 600 French businesses currently operate in the UAE, and France exports $4 billion worth of goods annually to the region, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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16 Articles
France, UAE revive Rafale warplane development amid French budget woes
France and the United Arab Emirates have revived plans to jointly develop an upgraded Rafale fighter jet after talks stumbled earlier this year, officials said, giving Paris a fresh opportunity to advance its flagship defence programme.
Under the terms of any agreement, the UAE is likely to require technology transfer or the relocation of part of the production to its territory.
France and the UAE revive Rafale F5 cooperation, opening up space for Emirati industry participation while maintaining questions over financing, access to technology and operational independence of its fighter fleet. France and the UAE revive Rafale F5 cooperation, but financing and access to sensitive technology remain questions for the future of air power in the Gulf region.
The defense partnership between Paris and Abu Dhabi has entered a new phase. The signed G2G framework agreement stipulates that the Rafale F5 standard capability set, financing model, and timeline will be jointly determined by the two countries...
France and UAE intergovernmental agreement on Rafale F5, after engagement in financing talks. Financial terms undisclosed. The article France and UAE agreed to cooperate on Rafale F5 appeared first on FLIGHT.
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