UAE told the U.S. it will suspend talks on F-35 jets, says Emirati official

[beijingwalker]

UAE told the U.S. it will suspend talks on F-35 jets, says Emirati official
Reuters

December 15, 2021


DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will suspend discussions to acquire F-35 fighter jets, a UAE official said on Tuesday, part of a $23 billion deal with the ally that also includes drones and other advanced munitions.

The sale of 50 F-35 warplanes made by Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) to the UAE had slowed amid concerns in Washington over Abu Dhabi's relationship with China, including use of Huawei 5G technology in the country.


"Technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and cost/benefit analysis led to the re-assessment," the UAE official said in a statement to Reuters that confirmed a report in the Wall Street Journal.

"The U.S. remains the UAE's preferred provider for advanced defense requirements and discussions for the F-35 may be re-opened in the future," the official said, adding there were discussions to "address mutual defense security conditions for the acquisition".

The UAE had signed an agreement to purchase 50 F-35 jets and up to 18 armed drones, people familiar with the situation told Reuters in January.

Earlier, at the Pentagon, spokesman John Kirby had said the U.S. partnership with the UAE was more strategic and complex than a weapons sale and Washington was committed to working with Abu Dhabi to address their questions.


"We will always insist, as a matter of statutory requirements and policy, on a variety of end use requirements," Kirby said.

He added that a meeting between U.S. and UAE officials at the Pentagon later this week was set to be about broad topics but anticipated that the weapons sale would come up.

Kirby referred questions about details of specific arms sales to the State Department.

A State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the Biden administration was committed to the proposed sales of the F-35 aircraft along with the MQ-9B and munitions.

"We are hopeful that we can work through any outstanding issues," the official said.

Lockheed Martin Corp referred requests for comment to the U.S. and UAE governments.

The UAE, one of Washington’s closest Middle East allies, had long expressed interest in acquiring the stealthy F-35 jets, and was promised a chance to buy them in a side deal when it agreed to normalize relations with Israel in August 2020.

UAE told the U.S. it will suspend talks on F-35 jets -Emirati official

The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will suspend discussions to acquire F-35 fighter jets, a UAE official said on Tuesday, part of a $23 billion deal that also includes drones and other advanced munitions.

www.reuters.com

 

[Imran Khan]

they will sure buy it in future it is replacement of UAE F16S

 

[beijingwalker]

The UAE puts China first and gives Macron his AUKUS revenge
by Tom Rogan,
December 14, 2021 01:02 PM


Giving cause for Chinese Communist Party celebration, the United Arab Emirates is suspending a $23 billion purchase of F-35 combat aircraft and MQ-9B drones from the United States.

Agreed in the Trump administration's closing days, this arms deal would bring big new revenue streams to both Lockheed Martin (which makes the F-35) and General Atomics (which makes the MQ-9). But as the Wall Street Journal reports , the UAE is now having second thoughts. Announcing the suspension, a UAE official said that "technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and the cost/benefit analysis led to the reassessment."

The UAE's specific gripe is that the U.S. is demanding extensive safeguards to prevent Chinese People's Liberation Army intelligence officers from getting access to the F-35. U.S. concerns over China's prospective use of the UAE as a conduit to gather intelligence on the F-35 are not new. The UAE has strengthened its relations with China in recent years, happily ignoring the latter's genocide against Uyghur Muslims.

The evidence also suggests that French President Emmanuel Macron's scheming is in play here.

After all, it was only on Dec. 3 that Macron visited the UAE and announced an $18 billion French arms deal with the Sunni kingdom collective. Like the U.S. agreement, the French sale centers on strike fighter aircraft, 80 of Dassault's Rafale F-4, and would see the first deliveries made in 2027. In the context of the UAE's suspension of the F-35 purchase, it seems that Macron has won his revenge for the AUKUS submarine saga. AUKUS saw Australia abandon a massive purchase of French submarines in favor of developing nuclear submarines with the U.S. and the U.K.

What should the U.S. do in response?

First, show a little humility. The Rafale F-4 variants that the UAE will buy are versatile, capable aircraft. The F-35s, in contrast, are massively overpriced and overrated. This is particularly true as assessed by the aircraft's prospective combat utility against China.

Still, the Biden administration cannot afford to bend to the UAE's diktats here. The U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps would all use F-35s as the centerpiece of their air combat power in any war with China. In turn, the U.S. cannot risk the F-35's technology falling into Chinese hands. Absent sufficient safeguards, Chinese intelligence officers will use their privileged access to the UAE to test detection tactics against the F-35 and steal its technology. This would pose an intolerable threat to the survivability of U.S. aircrews during war and to the ability of U.S. forces to fight and win. To be fair to the UAE, it is not the only Middle Eastern ally that raises these China-related concerns. Israel is another .

Regardless, if the UAE cannot provide adequate commitments, as appears to be the case, the U.S. should cancel this deal regardless of its suspension action. Much more is at stake here than a question of lucrative trade.

The UAE puts China first and gives Macron his AUKUS revenge - Washington Examiner

Giving cause for Chinese Communist Party celebration, the United Arab Emirates is suspending a $23 billion purchase of F-35 combat aircraft and MQ-9B drones from the United States. Agreed in the Trump administration's closing days, this arms deal would bring big new revenue streams to both...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

IMO the UAE's looking at one of Europe's NGFA, e.g., FCAS, SCAF, etc.

 

[Ali_Baba]

This cancellation was not a suprise after the purchase of the Rafale - this has nothing to do with AUKUS etc but everything to do with the USA no approving the platform in time and all the extra toxic stuff the USA is asking for - to jut sell the Jet.

 

[kursed]

IMO the UAE's looking at one of Europe's NGFA, e.g., FCAS, SCAF, etc.

Won't be a complete surprise if they enter Turkey's next-gen program.

 

[Trango Towers]

So glad. UaE and all the Arabs need to wake up.

 

[aziqbal]

if UAE goes ahead and gives the 5G contract to Huawei not only should the F35 be cancelled but all spares to their current American fleet should be restricted

UAE has no brains and plenty of money and China is using its software to spy on its users by doing patent infringement which why a independent watch dog banned them from UK

its also proven that Huawei published a patent in 2020 stating how its facial recognition technology targeted Ughurs features

this is using technology to target a ethnic minority

any country doing business with Huawei should be sanctioned

 

[retaxis]

if UAE goes ahead and gives the 5G contract to Huawei not only should the F35 be cancelled but all spares to their current American fleet should be restricted

UAE has no brains and plenty of money and China is using its software to spy on its users by doing patent infringement which why a independent watch dog banned them from UK

its also proven that Huawei published a patent in 2020 stating how its facial recognition technology targeted Ughurs features

this is using technology to target a ethnic minority

any country doing business with Huawei should be sanctioned

Hey man why is every single one of your posts about China even if it is not in a Chinese thread its always about China. Man China must live rent free in your head 24/7 get some help dude the world is bigger than just China ok?

 

[TsAr]

if UAE goes ahead and gives the 5G contract to Huawei not only should the F35 be cancelled but all spares to their current American fleet should be restricted

UAE has no brains and plenty of money and China is using its software to spy on its users by doing patent infringement which why a independent watch dog banned them from UK

its also proven that Huawei published a patent in 2020 stating how its facial recognition technology targeted Ughurs features

this is using technology to target a ethnic minority

any country doing business with Huawei should be sanctioned

What makes you think that if you use Ericsson Seimens or some other Euro/USA company they will not spy on you. This ranting against China does not suit Think/tank analyst.

 

[Trango Towers]

What makes you think that if you use Ericsson Seimens or some other Euro/USA company they will not spy on you. This ranting against China does not suit Think/tank analyst.

Because gora shahib said so. And he is obedient to gora shahib loool

 

[Clutch]

So glad. UaE and all the Arabs need to wake up.

It's not a decision based on principle by the UAE. It's a decision because they are being treated by the Americas as second class in the relationship... The American want extra $$$ while providing a stripped down version of the jet. The UAE are just bluffing so the Americans can give them a face saving option when they sit next to their other enslaved gulf and say, "see, master loves us. He give me good plane!".

 

[airmarshal]

The UAE has strengthened its relations with China in recent years, happily ignoring the latter's genocide against Uyghur Muslims.

Oh please! Spare us these crocodile tears.

 

[Foinikas]

DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will suspend discussions to acquire F-35 fighter jets, a UAE official said on Tuesday, part of a $23 billion deal that also includes drones and other advanced munitions.

"Technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and cost/benefit analysis led to the re-assessment," the UAE official said in a statement to Reuters that confirmed a report in the Wall Street Journal.

"The U.S. remains the UAE's preferred provider for advanced defense requirements and discussions for the F-35 may be re-opened in the future," the official said, adding there were discussions to "address mutual defense security conditions for the acquisition".

UAE told the U.S. it will suspend talks on F-35 jets -Emirati official

The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will suspend discussions to acquire F-35 fighter jets, a UAE official said on Tuesday, part of a $23 billion deal that also includes drones and other advanced munitions.

www.reuters.com

 

[Titanium100]

they should try out J20 as alternative