DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates would seek to revive a multi-billion dollar deal with the U.S. for F-35 warplanes and armed drones if Donald Trump wins a second term as president in November, several people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The UAE has long sought the most advanced fighter jet, built with stealth technology allowing it to evade enemy detection. If the U.S. did approve the transfer, the UAE would be only the second Middle East state after Israel to operate F-35 fighters.

Trump had signed off on the deal in the final days of his presidency in 2021 but the UAE suspended talks by the end of the year, unable to agree terms with the Biden administration.

Three sources said that if Trump was re-elected, the UAE would seek to resume talks, asking a new Trump administration to fulfil the original agreement. One of the sources said the UAE would ask a new Trump administration to “honour” the 2021 deal.

Trump approved the $23 billion deal, which included MQ-9 Reaper drones and munitions, after the UAE established ties with Israel in 2020 under an accord brokered by his administration.

That made the UAE the most prominent Arab state to forge diplomatic ties with Israel in 30 years and hand Trump a significant foreign policy achievement just a few months out from the election that he would ultimately lose to Joe Biden.

But after months of discussions, the UAE announced in December 2021 it had suspended F-35 talks with the Biden administration, citing “sovereign operational restrictions”, among other reasons. The Biden administration responded, saying it was ready to move forward. The process has remained paused.

When asked whether the UAE would request a second Trump administration to fulfil the F-35 deal, a UAE official did not directly deny or confirm the claim and instead said Abu Dhabi had cultivated institutional relationships and an enduring partnership with Washington across several administrations.

“Our nations share a commitment to advancing mutual interests and address shared concerns” and work diligently to strengthen regional security and foster prosperity, they said.

The Gulf state is one of Washington’s most important security partners in the Middle East. Its military has fought alongside the U.S. in several campaigns, including the war in Afghanistan, and American soldiers are stationed in Abu Dhabi.

(With Inputs From International News Agency)