Abu Dhabi has begun early strategic planning for the UAE’s entry into the sixth-generation combat-aircraft ecosystem as its future Rafale F4 fleet matures. Current work focuses on defining post-2040 operational requirements and assessing potential international partnerships.
The following note sheds light on:
- The UAE’s long-term force-planning priorities
- The standing of future American fighter options, GCAP, and FCAS,
- Emirati assessments of Chinese and Russian programs, and
- The UAE’s technological, industrial, and sovereignty objectives.
