UAE is threatening to withdraw from a multibillion-dollar deal to purchase US-made F-35 planes, drones and other advanced munitions, US officials said, reported the Wall Street Journal.
The withdrawal would constitute a major upheaval between two long-standing allies currently at odds over China’s role in the Gulf.
The UAE government has told U.S. officials that it intends to cancel the deal because Abu Dhabi believes the security requirements the United States has established to protect the high-tech weaponry of the United States. Chinese espionage was too heavy, officials said.
“The United Arab Emirates have informed the United States that it is suspending discussions to acquire the F-35,” a United Arab Emirates official said in a statement.
“Technical requirements, operational restrictions and cost / benefit analysis led to this reassessment,” he said.
“The United States remains the preferred supplier to the United Arab Emirates for advanced defense needs and discussions on the F-35 could be reopened in the future,” added the UAE official.
U.S. officials have acknowledged the letter and the Emirates’ concerns.
However, the United States is increasingly concerned about China’s influence in the United Arab Emirates, and has set out conditions that would ensure that fifth-generation fighter jets and advanced drones are not vulnerable to the attack. Chinese espionage.
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