After US Refused F-35s For UAE, China’s J-20 Stealth Fighter Emerges As Potential Replacement

Summary UAE’s F-35 purchase delayed: Politics & balancing act with Israel. Impasse with US leads UAE to consider Chinese J-20 fighter. UAE’s potential shift to China for fighters raises geopolitical concerns. It should come as no surprise to no one that politics is complicated and messy—very complicated and very messy. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been trying to purchase 50 advanced fifth-generation American F-35 fighters for years. However, this deal has been caught up in politics, and now rumors are circulating that the UAE may buy Chinese J-20s instead. The United States is an ally of multiple countries in…