Intelligence and media reports have linked the United Arab Emirates to the largest contract in the history of Israeli defence company Elbit Systems, a deal estimated at US$2.3 billion that would place Abu Dhabi behind the financing of some of Israel’s most sensitive military capabilities.
According to French intelligence publication Intelligence Online, the agreement announced by Elbit around a month ago and officially described only as being for an “international customer” was in fact concluded with the UAE. If confirmed, it would be the largest contract signed by the company since its establishment.
Elbit’s notification to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange contained no operational or geographical details, referring only to a “highly sensitive strategic solution”. A publication ban was also imposed inside Israel on substantial parts of the agreement.
Such secrecy is not generally associated with conventional arms exports. It is more commonly applied when an agreement involves advanced systems capable of affecting sensitive military or political balances, or when the buyer wishes to avoid public identification because of questions of legitimacy or possible regional repercussions.
Systems at the Core of Israeli Military Operations
Israeli financial newspaper Calcalist reported that the system involved in the deal could potentially reduce Israel’s military superiority in the Middle East.
That assessment suggests the agreement concerns far more than conventional defensive equipment. The technologies involved are believed to relate to advanced command and control, network integration, intelligence and electronic warfare systems.
These fields form a central part of Israel’s modern military doctrine and are typically exported only under strict political and security conditions.
The deal comes within a gradual expansion of Emirati-Israeli military cooperation that began after Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv signed normalisation agreements around five years ago.
Since then, ties have moved beyond diplomatic relations towards direct security cooperation.
The opening of official offices by Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries in Abu Dhabi and Dubai represented an institutional step towards facilitating that transition, giving the UAE direct access to Israeli defence companies without relying on international intermediaries.
Foreign reports have previously stated that Israel Aerospace Industries sold Barak MX missile defence batteries to the UAE shortly after the normalisation agreement was signed.
Later, the Emirati defence conglomerate EDGE acquired a 30 per cent stake in ThirdEye Systems, an Israeli company specialising in systems used against drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.
These investments reflect a clear Emirati focus on surveillance, jamming and control of low-altitude airspace, capabilities that can be used not only for conventional air defence but also in the management of irregular conflicts.
From the F-35 to Israeli Alternatives
At the same time, Abu Dhabi pursued the purchase of US-made F-35 fighter aircraft.
Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the proposed sale, it was never completed because of conditions imposed by the US administration. Those reportedly included retaining the ability to remotely control the aircraft amid concerns that sensitive technologies could be transferred to China.
The condition reflected Washington’s concerns about the nature of the UAE’s partnerships with Beijing, particularly in technology and telecommunications.
As Emirati enthusiasm for completing the F-35 purchase declined, Abu Dhabi became increasingly open to Israeli alternatives.
Israeli systems appear to involve fewer restrictions on technology transfer and less stringent monitoring of their eventual use than comparable US systems.
This helps explain the expansion of military cooperation with Israel, which is increasingly functioning not merely as an arms supplier but as a technical partner capable of providing advanced military systems with fewer oversight constraints than those imposed by Washington.
A Regional Military Dimension
The Elbit agreement also cannot be separated from the UAE’s broader role in regional conflicts.
In Sudan, Abu Dhabi officially denies providing direct military support, despite UN and media reports alleging undisclosed involvement.
In Libya and Yemen, the UAE has relied on indirect instruments of influence, including support for local armed formations and the deployment of advanced surveillance technologies.
Acquiring sophisticated Israeli systems would strengthen this model of operating through technically advanced but less visible forms of regional intervention.
The initial concealment of the UAE’s identity in the Elbit contract, before reports later linked Abu Dhabi to the deal, also points to the political sensitivity surrounding such cooperation during the continuing war on Gaza.
Israeli defence companies have faced accusations over their role in military operations that have resulted in large numbers of civilian casualties, making public disclosure of deepening military cooperation particularly sensitive.
Beyond Political Normalisation
The available information indicates that Emirati-Israeli relations have moved well beyond political normalisation towards a deeper security partnership built around sensitive technology transfers, military investments and direct cooperation between defence industries.
For Abu Dhabi, this reflects a broader strategic choice to build regional influence around access to advanced Israeli military technology while reducing reliance on Western partnerships that impose tighter political, security and technological restrictions.
The reported US$2.3 billion Elbit deal therefore represents more than another arms purchase. It points to the consolidation of a security relationship in which Israeli military technology is becoming increasingly integrated into the UAE’s wider regional strategy.
