UAE set to buy a dozen L-15As with scope for more
L-15A trainer/light attack aircraft. (Photo: CATIC)
If a contract materialises for an initial 12 L-15A light attack aircraft, it would be the first time the UAE orders crewed military aircraft from China.
It appears the UAE is going to acquire a dozen Chinese L-15A light attack aircraft, with the option to purchase 36 more, after the country’s MoD announced via Twitter on 23 February that it expects to sign a contract with the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC).
The MoD did not indicate its budget for this procurement, but Shephard Defence Insight describes a unit price of $10 million for the aircraft.
Official UAE media outlets reported Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, CEO of the national defence procurement authority Tawazun, as saying the deal forms part of an ongoing
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Saab’s GlobalEye gains ground as Canada’s aircraft procurement tilts towards Europe]()
Saab’s GlobalEye gains ground as Canada’s aircraft procurement tilts towards Europe
Canada’s interest in negotiating a procurement of Saab’s GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft signals its readiness to reduce its reliance on US defence technology as trade tensions with its North American neighbour mount.
-
![US Air Force CCA programme to achieve multiple milestones in the coming months]()
US Air Force CCA programme to achieve multiple milestones in the coming months
The US Air Force is preparing to select mission-autonomy software, fire a missile from the FQ-42 Vengeance and test both CCA designs alongside crewed fighters at 2026 Emerald Flag.
-
![Will the US Navy F/A-XX and the USAF F-47 compete for production capacities?]()
Will the US Navy F/A-XX and the USAF F-47 compete for production capacities?
The two sixth-generation fighter programmes could battle for engineering talent and production lines before deliveries begin, testing Boeing’s industrial expansion plans.
-
![September drone digest: attrition-tolerant aircraft pitched to replace the Reaper]()
September drone digest: attrition-tolerant aircraft pitched to replace the Reaper
The loss of many MQ-9 Reapers during the 2026 Iran War has underscored the risks of sending relatively expensive UAVs into contested airspace. In September, new contenders to replace the Reaper emerged, championing cheaper, modular aircraft designs for mass production and inevitable attrition.
