Eight days after taking office, US President Joe Biden temporarily suspended the Acquisition agreement for 50 F-35 Lightning II fighters by the United Arab Emirates, valued at US$23 billion.
The agreement had been closed in the last moments of the istration of Donald Trump, after a long period of negotiations between the USA, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
According to the US Department of State, the suspensions are normal and occur so that new istrations can review agreements to purchase war articles through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
In addition to the Emirates contract, an agreement with Saudi Arabia has also been suspended for review.
Former President Trump approved the acquisition of the fighter jets by the UAE after negotiations that led to the Abraham Accord, which normalized UAE relations with Israel. In the American Congress the sale was not seen with good eyes and there were unsuccessful attempts to block it.
With the purchase, the UAE would become the first Arab country and the second in the Middle East to have 5th Generation fighter jets. In December 2016, Israel received its first two F-35I “Adir”. Currently, the country already has two squadrons complete with F-35s, which have even been used in combat.
