France Signs Deal for 80 Rafale Fighter Jets With UAE

France and the UAE confirmed on Friday that they have signed an agreement for the supply of 80 Rafale fighter planes manufactured by the French company Dassault Aviation.

Furthermore, Reuters reported that Abu Dhabi has also ordered 12 Caracal helicopters.

This deal, which is worth $19.20 billion, is considered the largest single purchase of the Dassault-made Rafale outside of the French army and follows deals in Greece, Egypt, and Croatia this year.

Also, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) confirmed that it signed a contract worth $4.52 billion with Bpifrance.

Macron arrived in the early hours of Friday to the UAE for a brief Gulf tour, which included a stop in Qatar, before continuing on to Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The French president is expected to address the "Middle East" crisis, counterterrorism, the Libyan Presidential elections, and Lebanon’s diplomatic crisis with the Gulf during his current trip.