The United Arab Emirates has signed a deal for 80 French-made Rafale fighter jets, the biggest in-ternational order ever made for the warplanes, officials said on Friday during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The UAE, one of the French de-fence industry’s biggest custom-ers, also agreed to buy 12 Caracal military transport helicopters, the French presidency said in a statement.
“This is an outcome of the strate-gic partnership between the two countries, consolidating their ca-pacity to act together for their autonomy and security,” the statement said.
The Rafale order is the biggest made internationally for the air-craft since it entered into service in 2004.
The agreement was signed by Dassault Aviation director-general Eric Trapier as Macron held talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed on the first day of a visit to the Gulf.—APP
