ABU DHABI, — France and the United Arab Emirates have signed an intergovernmental agreement to renew cooperation on the Rafale F5 fighter programme, during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the UAE on October 20.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Macron witnessed the exchange of documents. The two countries also signed a strategic defence partnership framework and an industrial cooperation agreement covering future combat aviation, technical and financial arrangements, and defence industry cooperation.
The renewed framework establishes a basis for cooperation on the Rafale F5 standard and aims to strengthen interoperability between the two countries’ armed forces. It does not announce a new aircraft order or specify the number of aircraft involved.
Funding and Technology Dispute
The agreement follows a breakdown in earlier negotiations over financing and access to sensitive French defence technologies. The Rafale F5 programme’s development cost is estimated at around €5 billion, and the UAE had previously been prepared to contribute up to €3.5 billion.
Talks reportedly stalled after Abu Dhabi sought access to advanced optronics technology for its domestic defence industry, including the EDGE Group. France resisted sharing the sensitive technological know-how, citing its control over critical defence technologies.
The newly signed agreements bring the UAE back into formal cooperation on the programme, but the financial arrangements remain undisclosed. Officials have not confirmed whether the earlier €3.5 billion contribution has been reinstated or whether France has agreed to share the disputed technologies. No detailed funding figures or payment schedules have been publicly released.
Rafale F5 Development and Broader Defence Cooperation
The Rafale F5 is the next major upgrade of the French-made fighter aircraft. The programme is intended to improve electronic warfare capabilities, integrate the aircraft with stealth unmanned combat drones and incorporate artificial intelligence. Qualification is expected around 2033.
The new agreement builds on the UAE’s existing Rafale programme. In December 2021, the country ordered 80 Rafale F4 aircraft under a deal valued at approximately €16.6 billion. The wider package also included helicopters, weapons, training and support, while initial Rafale deliveries were expected by the end of 2026.
During Macron’s visit, he also toured facilities linked to the UAE’s EDGE Group, which operates in areas including weapons systems, unmanned technologies, electronic warfare and cyber defence and has industrial ties with French companies.
The agreements form part of broader France-UAE discussions covering defence, energy, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. The renewed Rafale F5 framework provides a basis for further technical, industrial and potential financial cooperation, although the details of funding and technology sharing remain unconfirmed.
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