Tech US approves $980m sale of C-17 aircraft support to UAE By Reuters July 20, 2022, 6:23 AM Creative Commons The Pentagon said Boeing Co was the prime contractor for the contract The US State Department has approved the potential sale of C-17 aircraft sustainment and related equipment to the United Arab Emirates for an estimated cost of $980.4 million, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. Despite approval by the State Department, the notification does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded. The Pentagon said Boeing Co was the prime contractor for the contract. In other defense news, Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA on Tuesday announced a partnership with BAE Systems PLC to expand their footprint in the global market, including a joint venture to develop a defense variant of an electric aircraft. Embraer, at the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom, said that it has signed two memorandums of understanding with BAE Systems to go forward with projects involving its C-390 series and the electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle to be produced by Eve Holding Inc, a U.S.-listed unit of Embraer. One of the memorandums confirmed an intent to create a joint venture to develop a defense variant of Eve’s electric aircraft, with Eve being the platform provider. The other memorandum established a partnership between BAE Systems and Embraer to collaborate in Middle Eastern markets for the C-390, with an initial focus on Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian company said.