The Anglo-French arms maker Matra BAe Dynamics is to sell long-range cruise missiles to the United Arab Emirates.

This is the first export order for this air-launched weapon - known as the Black Shaheen.

It is intended to hit ground targets at ranges of over two hundred and fifty kilometres, and in the first instance it will equip the UAE's new Mirage-2000 fighters.

But the BBC defence correspondent says the sale has angered the United States, which has argued that it infringes an international agreement restricting advanced missile sales.