Russia is reportedly on the verge of selling more than a dozen advanced Su-35S Flanker-E fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates. If the deal is truly in the works, it could signal a shift by the country away from its long time partner the United States, or it could be an attempt by authorities in Dubai to gain political leverage over their counterparts in Washington.
On Oct. 3, 2017, Russian state-owned media outlet TASS reported that a source had told it that the UAE was in line to purchase more than “a squadron” worth of Flanker-Es, typically between 12 and 18 aircraft. Russian sources, almost exclusively, both on and off the record, have discussed the possibility of this sale on and off since 2015.“They want a lot, over a squadron,” the individual, who reportedly deals in military and technical cooperation for the Russian government, said, according to TASS. “The exact number will be specified in the course of negotiations that may be held in November during an air show in Dubai.”
This person was almost certainly referring to the annual Dubai Airshow and associated trade exposition. Organizers have scheduled the 2017 iteration of the event to run from Nov. 12 to 16.
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/14847/russia-says-deal-to-sell-the-uae-su-35-fighters-is-just-months-away
