Russia and UAE to develop new fighter

Russia and the UAE have announced a partnership to develop a new fighter, reportedly based on the MiG-29, and eventually develop a new fifth generation fighter. The UAE has been trying to participate in a fifth generation fighter, but the US has denied them access to the F-35, due to Israeli participation. The UAE has begun turning more towards Russia and China for equipment, at least partly because the Obama Administration took so long to approve the purchase of F-15 fighters and other weapons.

In the mid-1990s, the UAE expressed interest in the Su-27M, and reports are that they are now interested in the Su-35. The UAE is also trying to develop their own aerospace industrial base. This may eventually be a way for them to do that, or it may be a way to try to get leverage on the US to get access to the F-35 program.

ABU DHABI—Russia and the United Arab Emirates will partner on the development of a new fighter aircraft reportedly based on the MiG-29.
Details of the plans emerged during the IDEX defense show here on Feb. 21 during a visit by Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov. He told the TASS news agency that the two countries had signed an agreement on military industrial cooperation.

“This will enable us to push ahead with the fifth-generation jet project, in which the UAE will participate,” Manturov said.

aviationweek.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Isn't Russia already having issues working with India on a 5th gen fighter?

Sounds like Russia is having another round of trying to find funding for their failing fighter industry.

a reply to: Vector99

They've having problems with their own too.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I feel like India is perhaps not the best partner for them, only because India is so keen on developing their own aerospace industry that they likely want to be much more involved in the design/development process than anyone else Russia has ever worked with.

This UAE business could work out well for Russia, if it actually goes anywhere, since the UAE will probably take much more of a "shut up and take my money" track, and they certainly have plenty of it to burn.

a reply to: Barnalby

its not about "shut up and take my money", our country is trying to be involved in the world of science and technology as well as space programs link

lets see what happens with this project, only time will tell.

The USA is right not to give them the F-35.....hell they should not be giving ANY weaponry to the middle east full stop.

originally posted by: crazyewok
The USA is right not to give them the F-35.....hell they should not be giving ANY weaponry to the middle east full stop.

I have to agree, there is so much volativity there.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Maybe China is holding out selling the stolen tech?

Also, a bit offtopic, but curious of this, on the show "what on earth!" it shows an f-117 in China, missing the nosepiece, just like the one downed in Kosovo. Do you think that is our f-117?

If so it would explain a lot in China's advancements in stealth over the past years.

a reply to: Vector99

It's a mockup. They have a bunch of mockups in various places, including a conference center that's a 1/3rd scale Nimitz class carrier. They did get access to the wreckage in Kosovo as well as the helicopter from Pakistan.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Do you think they got access enough to be able to replicate the radar absorbing skin of the craft? I.E., did they get to take a piece home?

a reply to: Vector99

They took the tail rotor section of the helicopter to China. I've heard some of the F-117 wreckage went there too. But it's not the easiest thing in the world to reverse engineer. It could be done, but the newer RAM is quite a bit different I understand.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Now how up to date was the RAM in the stealth hawk in the first place?

I'd imagine that the RCS reduction requirements for something that flies so low and slow (and is already compromised due to the whole rotors thing) are much less stringent than some of our other platforms.

If that's the case, than it may not have been as big of a loss as it would have been if one of our extremely low observable classified loitering HALE drones went down.

a reply to: Barnalby

Better than the F-117, worse than the F-22. It hurt, but not as bad as losing some others would have. It did give them a stepping stone though.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I can see that.

I wonder if the RQ-170 over Iran was a bigger loss in terms of RAM technology.

a reply to: Barnalby

The sensors hurt on that one. They weren't top of the line, but they were better than anything else they had gotten to that point.

From what Ive heard UAE politics is worse than India's..
Only country thats really played in aeronautics is Israel..