M-346 "Master" selected for UAE Air Force

[Spike]

Yesterday afternoon, during the Abu Dhabi IDEX 2009, the UAE government has announced the order for 48 new M-346 for its pilot school. The first aircraft will be delivered in 2012, and the final assembly line will be in Abu Dhabi (in charge of the Mubadala Development Company).
This is the first official order for the new trainer, which has broken the sound barrier reaching the speed of Mach 1.15 two months ago. The order for 15 aircraft for the Italian Air Force is expected to be signed within days, while the aircraft is in competition with the KAI T-50 for the Singapore AF. Other "positions" are open (Austria, Greece, Poland), but by today it's not clear if there will be an official RFP from these government.

[TF-104G]

all for the UAEAF in the future
48 x M.346
12 x C-130J
4 x C-17
3 x A.330MRTT
what the hell they want with so many transport a/c United States vs United Arab

[Hurricane]

what the hell they want with so many transport a/c

I think a well equiped transport fleet??

Greetingz,

Hurricane.

[Flyboy]

all for the UAEAF in the future
48 x M.346
12 x C-130J
4 x C-17
3 x A.330MRTT
what the hell they want with so many transport a/c United States vs United Arab

How about training sessions over a clouded wet country: therefor you need tankers and transport. They cannot train in dull weather in the UAE, so invite them here

[Spike]

what the hell they want with so many transport a/c

I think a well equiped transport fleet??

Greetingz,

Hurricane.

As probably all the M.346 built for the Asian market will be assembled in UAE, what about the possibility they will use the transport fleet to move components between Italy and UAE??