UAE Buys French Surveillance Satellites

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered two military surveillance satellites from France in a deal worth more than 700 million euros ($913.2 million).

 

The Falcon Eye satellite deal, signed in Abu Dhabi, includes the supply and launch of two high-resolution Helios surveillance satellites, a control station, and training for 20 UAE engineers.

 

The two satellites will be built by Astrium, the space division of EADS, and Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between French Thales and Italian Finmeccanica.

 

They share in half the contract of "a little over 700 million euros," according to Astrium's CEO, Francois Auque.

 

The deal comes with an annex agreement between the two governments, stating that French military personnel will help their Emirati counterparts in interpreting images, and sharing received intelligence, according to a member of the team of the French Defense Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian.

 

The last significant military orders received by Paris from the UAE – a traditional customer of France – date back to 2007 when the Yahsat contract was signed.

 

It featured the delivery of two communication satellites, and the purchase of three Airbus Military MRTT tanker aircraft.