OSINT SUMMARY
Monday 9th November 2015, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) air force announced to have sealed a deal worth $1.27 billion with Swedish Defence giant Saab to buy two surveillance jets and also upgrade two others.
According to Air Force Major General Abdullah al-Hashimi at a joint press conference held at the Dubai Airshow, UAE has settled for two new aircraft, the Global 6000 surveillance planes while old planes to be upgraded are part of the UAE’s fleet of Saab 340s.
The purchase of other surveillance jets is aimed at strengthening and supporting surveillance capabilities of the Gulf country’s air force amid rising militancy threat, added the General.
Though the date of delivery has not been determined and finalized, it expected the delivery to be concluded within two years.
United Arab Emirates has been on the front-line against the war on terror, allied as part of US-led coalition conducting offensives against Islamic State militant’s positions in Syria and Iraq.
UAE has also played a pivotal role in the Saudi-led coalition that launched military offensives against Iran-backed rebels in Yemeni.
