The UAE signed the contract to acquire 80 Rafales on 3 December 2021 in the presence of the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The 18 billion USD contract also illustrates the strength of the strategic partnership between the UAE and France.
France will deliver the Rafale to the UAE from
2027 to 2031. Previously, the UAE was also a user of Dassault-made aircraft,
namely the Mirage 2000-9 fleet, which is now starting to be retired. Until the
end of 2021, Dassault had pocketed 86 Rafale orders, 46 of which were ordered
from Egypt, Greece and India. So far this year, Greece has ordered an
additional six aircraft, while Indonesia has committed to a deal to buy 42
units.
