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UAE accepts first Rafale combat aircraft

By Gareth Jennings |

The first of 80 Dassault Rafale combat aircraft was handed over to the UAE during a ceremony in Istres, southern France, on 29 January. (Dassault)

The first of 80 Dassault Rafale combat aircraft have been formally handed over to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was announced on 29 January.

Dassault CEO Éric Trappier and French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu presented a twin-seat F-4 standard aircraft (tail number 1101) to the Emirati Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohamed Bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazroue during a handover ceremony at the company's Istres facility in southern France.

“The Ministry of Defence [MoD] announces the receipt of the first batch of French Rafale aircraft in a historic deal to enhance the capabilities of the armed forces,” the UAE Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, referring to the ‘historic' nature of what was the largest defence order ever placed by the UAE. The ministry did not say how many Rafales were included in this first batch, but previous such deliveries to other export customers have typically comprised four to six aircraft.

The UAE signed for the Rafales in December 2021, following talks that dated back to 2008. Once in UAE Air Force and Air Defence (AFAD) service, the Rafales will replace the service's Dassault Mirage 2000s at the same time as augmenting its Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcons.

In signing for the Rafale, the UAE joined Croatia, Greece, India, and Qatar as export customers for the French-made aircraft. The aircraft is also in competition in Saudi Arabia.

For more information, please see United Arab Emirates – Air Force .

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