"US and Emirates Agree on Sale of F-35" | Israel Today

According to a report in the Reuters news agency, the US administration is working to sign a deal to sell the vapor planes "until December 2" • The White House declined to comment

The United States and the United Arab Emirates plan to conclude the F-35 evasive deal by December 2, the Emirates' Independence Day, Reuters reported today (Tuesday) relying on negotiators. Israel's quality in the region. 

Photo: GPO

The report comes in the wake of Defense Secretary Benny Gantz's visit to Washington, where he is expected to meet with a number of senior administration officials to discuss security issues with the United States intending to sell F-35 aircraft to the Emirates.

According to the same sources, Washington is examining ways so that the advanced aircraft, made by the American Lockheed Martin, will be more visible to Israel's radar systems. Reuters noted that it is not clear whether this will be done by changes in the plane or by improved radar supply to Israel.

The Emirate of Emirates in Washington has not yet commented on the issue, and the White House declined to comment.

A Pentagon spokeswoman told Reuters that "as part of the policy, the United States does not approve or respond to offers for sale, or various transfers, until they are submitted to Congress for approval."

After signing the Memorandum of Understanding, any party who fails to abide by the agreement may be fined.

Prior to any approval of a deal, it is necessary to go through some political and regulatory hurdles, and officials in Washington said it may not be possible to complete the agreement by the end of the year.

Alan Lord, the Pentagon's arms procurement commissioner, told reporters last August that the United States was interested in completing the sale of the F-35 in about six months.

Due to the "military advantage" restrictions on the sale of weapons, so far the sale of aircraft to Arab countries has been banned, while Israel has 24 such.

The United Arab Emirates, one of Washington's closest allies in the Middle East, has long expressed interest in purchasing the planes, and has been assured that once it normalizes its relations with Israel, it will have the opportunity to purchase them.

Negotiators said one of the proposals would be to allow Israel's air defense system to identify the Emirates' F-35s.

Doug Birkley, a senior official in the Washington Air Force industry, said: "The planes were designed to allow Israel to sell better planes than the Emirates. Each plane has a different code based on the permits it has received." 

The planes are expected to be delivered to the Emirates in just a few years.

The last country to purchase an F-35 was Poland, which purchased 32 aircraft last January and is expected to receive them only in 2024.