Leaked internal documents have revealed details of advanced arms deals between Elbit Systems, the largest military technology company in the Israeli occupation state, and the United Arab Emirates, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Monday.
The agreements included strategic drones, intelligence systems and electronic warfare technology, as security cooperation between the two sides expanded following the signing of the Abraham Accords.
UAE Sought Drones After Abu Dhabi Attack
According to Haaretz, one of the most significant deals followed the Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi on 17 January 2022, when ballistic missiles and drones struck oil facilities and Abu Dhabi airport, killing three people.
The leaked documents state that the UAE submitted an “urgent operational request” after the attack, prompting Elbit Systems to prepare a detailed proposal to supply Abu Dhabi with its most advanced drones.
The initial request included two Hermes 900 drone systems, each comprising three aircraft, for a total of six drones. The package also included electro-optical surveillance systems for day and night operations, SkyEye WAPS wide-area surveillance systems, cellular communications interception technology, electronic warfare equipment, LightSpear systems designed to protect aircraft from jamming and interception, and two ground control stations.
Haaretz reported that each system was valued at approximately $90 million, bringing the initial proposal to around $180 million.
The UAE later expressed interest in expanding the order to 15 systems comprising 45 Hermes 900 drones, which would have increased the potential value of the agreement to approximately $1.3 billion.
Air Defence and Long-Range Surveillance Projects
The documents also indicate that a delegation from the Directorate of Defence Research and Development at the Israeli Ministry of Defence, known as MAFAT, was preparing to visit the UAE in March 2022 to discuss two air defence projects.
At the same time, Elbit was proposing that Abu Dhabi use the drones for long-range surveillance beyond the country’s borders, monitoring missile and drone launches towards Emirati territory, and carrying out domestic security missions.
The leaks also revealed a classified Emirati document titled “Wish List”, which requested four intelligence aircraft equipped with electronic intelligence collection systems, communications interception capabilities, cyber and electronic warfare technology, and optical surveillance equipment.
The documents did not clarify whether that proposed deal was ultimately completed.
Secret Project Linked to Precision-Guided Weapons
The leaked material also referred to another project, codenamed “Yasmeen 3”, involving the production of 6,000 kits within three months.
The nature of the kits was not specified. However, Haaretz noted that Elbit manufactures equipment capable of converting conventional bombs, including the MPR-2000, into precision-guided munitions using GPS or laser guidance systems.
Another leak showed that Elbit offered the UAE its new Hermes 650 drone in March 2023, nearly a year before the aircraft was officially unveiled at the Singapore Airshow.
The Hermes 650 can carry surveillance, communications interception and electronic warfare systems. Some of its components could also be manufactured locally in the UAE, in line with Abu Dhabi’s policy of developing a domestic defence industry.
Sensitive Files Sent Through Personal Email Accounts
Haaretz said the leaks also exposed what it described as weak information security practices within Elbit Systems.
Correspondence involving senior company officials, including chief executive Bezhalel Machlis and several vice-presidents, showed that sensitive documents had been sent through personal email accounts rather than the company’s internal system.
The newspaper said the documents were believed to have been leaked from the personal Gmail account of a senior company official and later published by a hacking group linked to Iranian intelligence.
Haaretz said it analysed the documents and cross-checked their contents against publicly available information and other sources.
Previously Disclosed Deals
The only previously announced deal between Elbit and the UAE was disclosed in January 2022, when the company said it had secured a $50 million contract to supply missile protection systems for five Emirati aerial refuelling aircraft.
Elbit also announced a strategic agreement worth $2.3 billion with an unnamed “international customer” in November last year. A French magazine reported at the time that the UAE was the customer involved.
Growing Israeli-Emirati Military Cooperation
Haaretz linked the agreements to growing military cooperation between the two sides in recent months.
The newspaper said that after the Israeli-American attack on Iran in February, followed by Iranian strikes on the UAE involving more than 3,000 missiles and drones, Israel moved quickly to support Abu Dhabi.
According to the report, Israel sent Iron Dome batteries and operating crews to the UAE. The deployment was later revealed by Axios and confirmed by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev.
The Financial Times also reported that Israel had transferred a laser interception system to the UAE.
Haaretz quoted a senior US official praising the relationship that had developed between Israel and the UAE since the signing of the Abraham Accords.
The official said Washington regarded both countries as key regional partners and claimed that their direct cooperation had enabled humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip that other states, and even the United Nations, had been unable to carry out.
In response to questions from Haaretz, Elbit Systems said it “does not comment on commercial matters relating to its customers”, adding that “the information mentioned does not reflect the company’s commercial reality”.
