Dubai Airshow 2021: UAE to host ViDAR centre of excellence
Will the ViDAR SCAR reconnaissance pod make an impact in the Middle Eastern ISR market?
USAF F-35A Lightning II pictured in August 2019 at Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE. (Photo: USAF/Staff Sgt Chris Thornbury)
There were no official updates from the Dubai Airshow 2021 on a proposed sale to the UAE Air Force of US fifth-generation fighter aircraft and MALE UAVs, although sources indicated to Shephard that Washington remains committed to a proposed FMS package.
Following strong indications that the UAE wanted to buy Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft and General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian UASs, the US State Department notified Congress in November 2020 that it intends to authorise FMS deals for these aircraft.
Since then, the prospective package (worth more than $23 billion in all to include air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions) attracted
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Will the ViDAR SCAR reconnaissance pod make an impact in the Middle Eastern ISR market?
Horizon Technologies and Airborne Technologies to jointly develop BlackFish SCAR-Pods.
The Indonesian MoD placed an order for two A400M aircraft in multirole tanker and transport configuration, according to the Airbus announcement on 18 November 2021.
Welcome to Episode 46 of the third series of The Weekly Defence Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more.
As well as finally ordering the A400M, an aircraft Indonesia has been contemplating for some time, the Asian country has agreed to continue financing the KF-21 fighter programme.
Shephard explored the prospects for the UAE defence industry with Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of EDGE.