“ The Lockheed- Martin-produced fast jet has been described as the crown jewel of a US ally ' s arsenal , reserved for Washington ' s monogamous partners ”
EDITOR ' S FOREWORD Are supersonic warplanes slowing down the UAE ’ s 5G ?
The UAE ’ s 5G network is among the best in the world , but a $ 23bn consignment of fighter jets could be about to tank the Emirates ’ relationship with its biggest 5G supplier , Huawei .
“ The Lockheed- Martin-produced fast jet has been described as the crown jewel of a US ally ' s arsenal , reserved for Washington ' s monogamous partners ”
Pádraig Belton , BBC
The UAE has some of the densest , fastest , and most reliable 5G coverage in the world . Currently , 5G adoption in the UAE is second only to China . The speed of the country ' s rollout could be in jeopardy however , as anti-Chinese posturing from Washington threatens to break up the relationship between the UAE and Huawei , one of its key 5G partners .
Just two weeks after the Biden administration threatened to kill a $ 23bn deal between the UAE and Lockheed martin for up to 50 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters , 18 MQ-9B Reaper drones , and a whole heap of advanced munitions , Etisalat announced an exclusive deal with Ericsson to deploy equipment in support of its 5G mmWave rollout .
The deal probably isn ’ t a direct response to Washington ’ s threat , but for Huawei , it might be the writing on the wall . The UAE , Washington says , has just four years to remove Huawei from its 5G network .
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