# United Arab Emirates

Seoul and Abu Dhabi Explore Joint KF-21EX Project — A Test of South Korea’s Bid to Break Western Weapon Monopolies

South Korea and the UAE signed a defence cooperation memorandum that opens the door to jointly developing a stealth‑enhanced KF-21EX fighter. The deal reflects the UAE’s desire to diversify weapon suppliers and Seoul’s ambition to break into higher tiers of the global fighter market, but the project faces major technical, export-control and competitive hurdles.