The Trump administration has set in motion the sale of F-35 Jets, MQ-9B Dribes and weapons to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) altogether worth a staggering $23 billion; marking the single biggest arms sale deal to a Middle Eastern ally.
US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo has directed the State Department to formally notify Congress of the administration’s intent to authorize the UAE’s proposed purchase of F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets and combat drones, a state department release said Tuesday.
The proposed upgrade package includes up to 50 F-35 Lightning II aircraft, valued at $10.4 billion; up to 18 MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Systems, valued at $2.97 billion; and a package of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, valued at $10 billion. Altogether the deal could be worth $23 Billion.