Senate rejects attempt to stymie UAE F-35 deal
Potential stumbling block to multibillion-dollar arms package is avoided
An attempt to block the $23 billion sale of F-35A fighter aircraft and MQ-9B Reaper UAVs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) failed in the Senate on 9 December.
Senators voted 49-47 to reject a bill proposed by Democrat Senator Bob Menendez to prevent the F-35A deal. Another proposal to ban the export of Reapers to the UAE also failed, by 50-46.
The UAE has therefore passed a major hurdle in the way of it becoming the first Arab country to operate the F-35 and the second Middle Eastern country to do so after Israel.
In all, the UAE expects to buy up to 50 F-35s for $10.4 billion, 18 Reapers for $2.97 billion and various air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions for $10 billion.
The UAE and the DSCA still need to agree and sign Letters of Offers and Acceptance in order to formally conclude the deal.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Defence Notes
-
![“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence]()
“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence
In Conversation… Shephard’s Andrew White talks to Zafer Şen, CEO and co-founder of OBSS, about the future of command-and-control software in the age of artificial intelligence, and his company’s ambitions in the UK defence market.
-
![“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money]()
“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money
Outside investment and the direction in which venture money flows may reveal what defence will buy years before formal programmes begin.
-
![Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline]()
Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline
The Department of National Defence expects initial contracts to deliver thousands of uncrewed systems, but has yet to establish the quantities, capability mix or deadline behind Ottawa’s promised tenfold expansion.
-
![Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons]()
Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
