Agence France-Presse, The United Arab Emirates will soon announce its choice of trainer jets for its air force in a deal valued at around one billion dollars, a senior commander said in remarks published Nov. 25.
The UAE has examined four types of trainer jets and picked two, “one for initial training, the other for advanced training,” Gen. Obeid al-Kotbi, who heads the armed forces’ body in charge of procurement, told the daily Al-Bayan.
On offer are the South Korean T-50 supersonic trainer jet, the Italian M-346, Swiss-made Pilatus PC-21 and Brazilian Super Tucano.
The oil-rich Gulf country is in the market for 35 to 40 trainer aircraft, and the signing of the contract could be announced any time since the studies on the jets have been completed, Kotbi said.
“The decision might be taken within 45 days,” he added.
Kotbi said the deal, which provides for transferring technology and training nationals to use it, could be worth one billion dollars, but the cost might go up or down depending on changes made by the time it is signed.
