First Emirati Rafale unveiled
January 30, 2025
The United Arab Emirates finally ordered the Rafale in Dubai, on 3 December 2021. This came after a long campaign that saw a humiliating rebuff on the eve of an expected contract signing in November 2011).
Then Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, deputy commander of the country’s armed forces, issued a statement that said: “Thanks to President Sarkozy, France could not have done more diplomatically or politically to secure the Rafale deal. Regrettably Dassault seem unaware that all the diplomatic and political will in the world cannot overcome uncompetitive and unworkable commercial terms.”
The Rafale had been “at the forefront of our considerations,” the Crown Prince said, even as final negotiations for 60 Rafales collapsed, and the United Arab Emirates, asked the Eurofighter consortium for details of the Typhoon.
BAE systems eventually abandoned its bid in the UAE, and interest switched back to the Rafale, and a contract for the acquisition of 80 Rafale F4s for the United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence was signed on 3 December 2021, in the presence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Vice-Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The signatories were Eric Trappier, the Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, and Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, CEO of the Tawazun Economic Council, in charge of security and defence acquisitions,
The Rafale contract for the United Arab Emirates entered a new phase with the payment of the first down payment for the Rafales on 19 April 2022. The total contract value is understood to be worth €16.6 billion, and includes a comprehensive training package for pilots and technicians, to ensure “the highest readiness levels among Emirati personnel.”
Hand-over
Éric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, unveiled the first Rafale for the United Arab Emirates at Istres on 29 January, hosting Mohamed Bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Defence Affairs at the ceremonial release from the workshop of the first Rafale bound for the Emirati Armed Forces..
The aircraft displayed was a two-seat Rafale D, wearing the serial 1101, painted in a light grey overall and bedecked in low-visibility monochrome Emirati national insignia. Interestingly (as the UAE does not habitually apply squadron markings to its fighters) a wolf’s head badge was carried on the tailfin.
Al Mazrouei noted that: “Our defence partnership with the United Arab Emirates is based on a high level of interoperability between our armies, particularly in the air sector.”
The aircraft will be used for testing before the start of deliveries of the 80 Rafale ordered. These are expected to begin from 2027.
The Emirati Ministry of Defence said that the move was part of a “historic deal” signed with France’s Dassault Aviation, underscoring the deep strategic partnership between the UAE and France.
“The acquisition of these jets is part of a broader plan to modernise the country’s defence capabilities, including upgrading the Air Force fleet with cutting-edge military equipment to address evolving regional and global security challenges,” the MoD said.
Al Mazrouei noted that the UAE’s armed forces had undergone: “a significant transformation, making them among the most capable and prepared military in the region and beyond under the direct support and leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.”
“Our strategy focuses on acquiring the most advanced weaponry and systems that align with the evolving nature of modern warfare and technological advancements, enhancing the overall combat efficiency of our national defence system.”
Major General Rashed Mohammed Al Shamsi, the Commander of the UAE Air Force, noted that the Rafale had proven its effectiveness in multiple military operations worldwide, and said that the UAE’s acquisition of these jets would enhances the UAE’s plans to develop its air force and would bolster the effort to build advanced and integrated armed forces. He called the aircraft a “qualitative addition to the UAE Air Force.”
