DUBAI,— The transfer of 30 Mirage 2000-9 fighter jets from the United Arab Emirates to Morocco faces fresh delays, this time because of the ongoing war in the Middle East, The Morocco World News reported.

Africa Intelligence reported on April 9, 2016 that the escalating regional conflict is slowing the implementation of the agreement between Abu Dhabi and Rabat.

Spain’s La Razón and other outlets later picked up the report. The central issue is the UAE’s reluctance to reduce its operational air fleet while the region remains volatile.

The arrangement traces back to late 2021. After the UAE ordered 80 Rafale F4 jets from France in a deal valued at over 16 billion euros, Abu Dhabi told Rabat it would donate 30 of its Mirage 2000-9E aircraft to Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, known as FAR. The jets carry Mica NG air-to-air missiles and Black Shaheen cruise missiles.

France initially blocked the handover. A clause in the original 1998 sales contract required Paris to approve any re-export of the aircraft. French officials also discussed buying back the Emirati Mirages and sending them to Ukraine.

The French veto was lifted in early 2024. Ties between Paris and Rabat improved after then Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné visited Morocco in February of that year.

President Emmanuel Macron cemented the rapprochement on July 30, 2024, when he formally recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara.

With that diplomatic barrier removed, the transfer had been expected around 2027. The war in the Middle East has now pushed that timeline further into uncertainty.

Emirati authorities, according to Africa Intelligence, want to keep their full Mirage fleet operational until the Rafale F4 jets arrive and are integrated into service. The first batch of Rafales is expected this year, with full delivery running to 2031.

The UAE had already prepared for the transition. On February 20, 2025, at the IDEX defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, the state-owned Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company signed a strategic partnership with a French firm.

The deal covers heavy maintenance of the M53 engines powering the Mirage 2000 fleet. It ensures the jets remain mission-ready before their planned retirement and transfer.

The conflict that complicated the deal began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched joint airstrikes against Iran under an operation named Epic Fury.

Iran responded with large volleys of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel, American bases, and Gulf Arab states, including the UAE.

According to the report, the targets included major airports, seaports, hotels, residential areas, and oil facilities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Iran also shut down the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global shipping and energy markets.

King Mohammed VI spoke by phone with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan twice during the war to reaffirm Morocco’s support for its Gulf partner.

That support has taken a practical form. Emirati sources told the Moroccan outlet Assahifa English that Morocco has provided military and technical assistance to the UAE in response to Iran-linked strikes on vital Emirati infrastructure.

The sources said the two countries have entered a phase of direct field coordination in military and technical domains. Morocco delivered what the sources described as meaningful technical and intelligence support to strengthen UAE defensive capabilities.

Moroccan military and technical personnel are currently deployed in the UAE on defined missions.

The sources told Assahifa English that Morocco is the only Arab country offering this level of direct field assistance, alongside international actors including the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and France.

Military cooperation between the two countries is governed by a 2006 bilateral agreement covering training, exchange visits, and operational support. A 2014 expansion of that agreement added military industry research and technology transfer to the partnership.

(With files from Moroccoworldnews.com | assahifa.com)

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