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New Delhi: US intelligence agencies have revealed that China used UAE technology to increase the range of its air-to-air missiles. US intelligence agencies received intelligence in 2022 that the United Arab Emirates provided Huawei with technology used by China to extend the range of its air-to-air missiles. These missiles include the PL-15 and PL-10 missiles. These missiles have increased the strike capability of Chinese fighter jets. China-UAE technology transfer According to a Financial Times (FT) report this intelligence was collected during the Biden administration. The FT citing six people familiar with the matter revealed that G42 a leading AI group in the United Arab Emirates transferred technology to China which China used to increase the range and capability of its long-range missiles. Two people familiar with the matter said the technology was transferred to Huawei. They added that these missiles were PL-15 and PL-17 variants. Pakistan used the PL-15 missile against India. UAE gave missile technology to China US officials believed the technology involved software that optimizes missile flight potentially serving dual purposes—both civilian and military. However G42 whose shareholders include Microsoft Silver Lake and the UAEs sovereign investment fund Mubadala has rejected the US intelligence. It stated that it categorically rejects false and defamatory allegations from sources with questionable motives and intentions. The reason for the uproar in the US is that since the UAE is a close ally of the US it possesses numerous Western technologies and the US fears that the PL-15 missile may also contain Western technology. Many US intelligence and security officials raise concerns According to the FT report while many US intelligence and security officials were concerned about the information received about the G42 and China some officials were more cautious. There was also debate among officials about whether the G42 knew that this technology would be used to aid the Peoples Liberation Army. Six other people familiar with the matter said that this information came after US intelligence agencies found extensive evidence that the UAE a key US ally in the Middle East was moving closer to China. A former US official said The intelligence was raising alarm bells. The G42 and the UAE were moving into Chinas orbit.
