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UAE says French fighter jets no substitute for US F-35

The head of the UAE's air force sought to clarify comments by France's President Emmanuel Macron last week.

An F-35 fighter plane flies over the White House on June 12, 2019, in Washington DC.
An F-35 fighter plane flies over the White House on June 12, 2019, in Washington, DC. — ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images

The defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates is expressing continued interest in US-made F-35 stealth fighter jets, despite a recent purchase of French warplanes.

Commander of the UAE’s air force and air defense told state news outlet over the weekend that last week’s deal for 80 French-made Rafale fighter jets was no substitute for the country’s intent to buy Lockheed-Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

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