France eyes UAE pact for Rafale upgrade after FCAS collapse
France is in talks with the United Arab Emirates to collaborate on upgrading its Rafale fighters after Germany pulled the plug on the Franco-German FCAS project, with the UAE potentially funding and ordering Rafale jets and contributing to the program’s development. The move comes as Paris reassesses how to finance a future fighter for the 2040s without Germany, while a Franco-German tank program remains delayed; India’s Rafale deal and Sweden’s Saab are also in play as alternatives are explored.