Aerobatic displays, jet fighters and some of the world’s most advanced passenger planes have been on show at Dubai Airshow this year but it has also been the setting for the signing of serious deals worth billions of dollars. On Wednesday, the UAE signed almost Dh3 billion dirhams worth of military contracts. Ammunition and planes were among the military equipment purchased by the ministry in deals worth about Dh3bn, a senior official said on Wednesday.<br/> It comes as the UAE seeks to establish itself as a major player in the defence field, with EDGE, a group of 25 local entities making its airshow debut. Maj Gen Pilot Abdullah Al Hashemi, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Defence for Support Services, said more than a dozen deals had been signed on the third day of the biennial event. These included an agreement with MBDA France, a developer and manufacturer of missiles, to provide maintenance of ammunition for Mirage 2000 aircraft for Dh1.3bn. Elsewhere, Lockheed Martin clinched a ministry contract to provide F16 equipment worth Dh533.3m. “The Dubai Airshow provided an opportunity to reaffirm our enduring commitment to this dynamic region," said Robert Harward, the firm’s chief executive for the Middle East. “We actively support the UAE's goal of becoming a leader in cutting-edge defence solutions.” Other deals were not disclosed but the UAE also bought two of the most advanced early detection planes in the world in a deal worth about $1bn. GlobalEye – an early warning and control aircraft from Swedish aerospace company Saab – is particularly capable of detecting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_missile">ballistic missiles</a>. The UAE also purchased three Airbus A330 aerial refuelling jets. Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, ordered 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners valued at $8.8 billion and reduced a previous order for the delayed 777Xs to 126 of the larger jet.