UAE breaks helicopter deal with France’s Airbus

The United Arab Emirates UAE) has pulled out of a deal with the French aircraft manufacturer Airbus to procure a dozen H225M Caracal multirole helicopters worth nearly 800 million euros ($880.6 million).

The decision was not political but was based on financial and technical reasons, Reuters quotes as saying Muammar Abdulla Abushehab, an official at the UAE's defence and security acquisitions authority, Reuters reports.

According to Abushehab, the cancellation reasons included high lifecycle costs, limitations in adapting to mission requirements and a complex technical proposal.

"We have been serving the armed forces of the UAE for more than 40 years. We're proud of our relationship which also serves the bilateral relations between France and the UAE. We do not comment on discussions we are having with our customer," an Airbus spokesperson said.

The H225M is a long-range tactical transporter similar to the Super Puma VIP, offshore and search-and-rescue helicopter.

The order was placed during a visit to Abu Dhabi by French President Emmanuel Macron in December 2021 alongside a contract for 80 Rafale fighter jets, and was seen as a boost for the assembly line in southern France amid lower oil and gas demand.