Why is Abu Dhabi interested in Russian technology and what does Moscow benefit from it?
Demand for Russian military aircraft is growing in the UAE amid a special operation, Vladimir Gutenev, coordinator of the parliamentary friendship group with the Emirates, told Izvestia. According to him, the Su-35 multirole fighter, as well as the Ka-52 helicopter, are of particular interest. In November, at the 19th Dubai International Airshow, Russia plans to conclude a series of contracts with Arab partners. In addition to direct purchases, Abu Dhabi also intends to increase investments in a number of Russian projects, including the production of UAVs. Experts believe that cooperation between the two countries in the field of military-technical cooperation will continue to strengthen. The prospects for military-technical cooperation with the UAE are described in the Izvestia article.
Demand for Russian military aircraft is growing in the UAE amid a special operation, Vladimir Gutenev, coordinator of the parliamentary friendship group with the Emirates, told Izvestia. According to him, the Su-35 multirole fighter, as well as the Ka-52 helicopter, are of particular interest. In November, at the 19th Dubai International Airshow, Russia plans to conclude a series of contracts with Arab partners. In addition to direct purchases, Abu Dhabi also intends to increase investments in a number of Russian projects, including the production of UAVs. Experts believe that cooperation between the two countries in the field of military-technical cooperation will continue to strengthen. The prospects for military-technical cooperation with the UAE are described in the Izvestia article.
What kind of military equipment are the Emirates interested in
Demand for Russian military aircraft used in the Ukrainian conflict is growing in the United Arab Emirates. We are mainly talking about the Su-35 fighter jet and the Ka-52 helicopter, Vladimir Gutenev, coordinator of the parliamentary friendship group with the UAE, told Izvestia.
— In the context of aviation technology successfully used in the SVO, the Su-35 multirole fighter and the Ka-52 helicopter stand out in particular, the demand for which is constantly growing. Foreign buyers are also interested in the Su-57E fighter, the Il-78MK-90A tanker aircraft, the Mi-171SH military transport helicopter and the Mi-28NE Night Hunter helicopter, which has proven its effectiveness," he said.
In addition, according to him, significant progress has been made recently in the creation of modern unmanned combat aircraft systems, as well as electronic warfare and electronic reconnaissance systems, which are also of great interest.
The 19th Dubai International Airshow will be held in the UAE in November. Abu Dhabi is expected to conclude a series of contracts for the purchase of Russian military aircraft there. Successes on the battlefield demonstrate the advantage of Russian weapons and increase interest in them from foreign partners, including Abu Dhabi, Vladimir Gutenev notes.
— For us, as a country that has demonstrated the beauty of aircraft technology not only at air parades, but also on the battlefields, where its effectiveness has been proven, new opportunities are opening up in terms of military-technical cooperation. The United Arab Emirates site has always opened up new opportunities for us, because it is one of the main places where the contract base is being formed for the years ahead," he said. — It is obvious that the products of the Russian military-industrial complex will be in high demand at the upcoming air show. Today, there is a significant unmet demand for military equipment. Despite the sanctions, the portfolio of orders for our products steadily exceeds $50 billion," Gutenev said.
Izvestia contacted the UAE Embassy in Russia with a question about how interested the UAE is in buying Russian aircraft and whether contracts can be concluded in the future.
The increased demand for Russian aircraft has led to the fact that many designs that were not previously intended for export are now being successfully introduced to the international market.
In addition to direct purchases of aircraft, the UAE is also ready to invest in Russian military developments. First of all, the Russian Federation would like to raise funds for the creation of drones. Their creation implies the introduction of new technologies, including control systems, sensors and communication systems. At the same time, due to sanctions, foreign investments in the Russian aviation industry may face serious restrictions, Gutenev explained.
Why Russian products are important for the UAE's security
The UAE began purchasing Soviet weapons back in the 1980s. At that time, the volume of supplies was small — Soviet infantry fighting vehicles (infantry fighting vehicles) became the main commodity of military purchases. Gradually, military-technical cooperation expanded, and today, among all the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, the UAE has achieved the highest rates in military trade with Russia, Elena Melkumyan, a leading researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia.
To strengthen the security of the state, the Emirates are not limited to military supplies from Russia. In order not to depend on a specific supplier, Abu Dhabi pursues a policy of diversification and purchases weapons from several countries. A large share of the Emirati market is occupied by the United States (supplies in the interests of the fleet, tanks, missiles and aviation components), France (armored vehicles, fighter jets), Indonesia (patrol boats, automotive equipment) and China, the Orientalist, consultant of the program "Prospects and potential of cooperation between Russia and the Persian Gulf states," said in an interview with Izvestia. in matters of global security and high technologies" (PIR Center) Leonid Tsukanov.
The UAE's military-industrial complex is on the rise. The country ranks 54th in the global ranking of military power, having held this position for several years. Of the Arabian neighbors, the Emirates are second only to Saudi Arabia (24th place), the orientalist said. At the same time, the escalation of the Middle East conflict and the global trend towards increasing defense capabilities have become an impetus for the country to make additional military purchases from other countries, Elena Melkumyan believes.
In this regard, Moscow, as a time-tested trading partner, continues to increase military-technical cooperation with the UAE through major international contracts. In 2024, the total trade turnover between the two countries reached $10 billion.
At the same time, the key difference between the Emirates and other Persian Gulf countries is their interest in joint developments with Russia. While other monarchies rely primarily on the purchase of ready-made solutions when developing military-technical cooperation with Moscow, Abu Dhabi is looking for ways to contribute to the development, Leonid Tsukanov notes. This approach is generally consistent with the country's goal of "not only buying, but also producing," which was announced as part of the UAE's long-term Centennial 2071 strategy.
In this sense, Abu Dhabi's plans to invest in Russian UAV projects seem reasonable. In the Russian Federation, special attention is paid to the production of drones. In 2024, Vladimir Putin ordered the creation of up to 48 centers for the creation of drones in different regions. "The key task is to produce a wide range of aerial unmanned aerial vehicles and to establish mass production of such promising equipment as quickly as possible," the president stressed.
The growing interest of the Emirates in the products of the Russian military-industrial complex can also be explained by the fact that Moscow is increasing spending in the field of national defense every year. Their level reached 6.3% of GDP and amounted to 32.5% of the federal budget, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said in December 2024.
Maxim Bazanov
