Aviation

Why did the UAE place the largest Rafale order?

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The UAE ordered 80 Rafale fighter jets and 12 military helicopters from France on Friday, bolstering economic and political ties with France through a 17 billion euro ($19.20 billion) arms purchase.

The largest-ever foreign sale of the French warplane was inked as French President Emmanuel Macron began a two-day trip to the Gulf, where he would also visit Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The UAE will become 6^th international operator of the Rafale aircraft. In 2018 Qatar is ordered 36 rafael aircraft as of now February 2020, 25 were delivered.

The Rafale order is the largest placed for the aircraft on a global scale since it entered service in 2004.

By purchasing the Dassault Rafales, the UAE is following in the footsteps of Gulf rival Qatar, which has purchased 36 of the planes, and Egypt, which ordered 24 in 2015 and 30 earlier this year.

The F4 model planes will be delivered beginning in 2027, after a €2-billion development programme that is expected to be completed in 2024.

It is the biggest bulk purchase of the Dassault-made Rafale, other than by the French army, and comes after deals in Greece, Egypt and Croatia this year.

12 Caracal helicopters were also ordered by Abu Dhabi. It’s the French code name for the H225M, the Super Puma’s multirole military version.

The Rafale will replace the Mirage 2000 fleet, but it is unlikely to replace the American-built F-35, according to defense sources, as the UAE continues to hedge its security with two key suppliers, France and the United States.

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Nonetheless, the agreement might be interpreted as a sign of impatience as the US Congress considers whether or not to approve an F-35 purchase due to worries about the UAE’s relationship with China, notably the country’s use of Huawei 5G technology.

“Despite the UAE’s main role in the atrocity-plagued military operations spearheaded by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, France is proceeding with these purchases,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement. “The French president should condemn the breaches of human rights in these three countries.”

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Because of the fight in Yemen between a Saudi-led coalition and Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, which has turned into one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, Paris has been under increasing pressure to reconsider its military supplies.

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Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.