<|begin_of_text|><|begin_of_text|><|begin_of_text|>Two UAE orders for military helicopters and guided bombs capped a remarkable year for procurement in which the Emirates became the largest foreign purchaser of US defence equipment, a Pentagon agency said.
The UAE, which has peacekeepers in Afghanistan, awarded Sikorksy<wm>, a subsidiary of the US firm General Atomics, two Chelcotan helicopters. They also purchased missiles and guided bombs from the company's main competitor, Raytheon (US military's Raytheon to be its sole licensed manufacturer for its F-16 fighter aircraft, a role previously controlled and managed under a US government contract until 2024 under a US-Arab Emirates Arms Sales to India deal.
Of the UAE's spending this year, the military budget increased by $5,500. However</wm>, the growth was seen to be slowing.
The budget deficit was a source of tension between the UAE