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

The first export order for this air-launched weapon - known as the Black Shaheen - has angered the United States, which has argued that it infringes an international agreement restricting advanced missile sales.

The missile is intended to hit ground targets at ranges of over 250km, and in the first instance it will equip the UAE's new Mirage-2000 fighters.

The combination represents a potent enhancement of the UAE's fire-power and, according to some experts, it introduces a new and highly capable form of weaponry to the Gulf.

US protest

The British and French Governments have given the go-ahead for the sale despite strong reservations from Washington.

The US argues that the sale of the air-launched weapon may contravene the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), an international agreement restricting the sale of long-range missiles to which both Britain and France are signatories.

This highly technical regime is open to varying interpretations but it deals with weapons of a minimum range of 300km.

The Black Shaheen is reported to be able to strike targets at distances of 250-400km depending upon the altitude from which it is fired.

Nonetheless the British Government for one insists that by its reading of the MTCR code, the sale can go ahead.

Russian and Chinese sales

While there may be an element of frustration on the part of the Americans - since at one stage they too were eager to participate in the competition for this contract - Washington does have some grounds for concern.

It fears that this deal will encourage other manufacturers of similar long-range stand-off weapons - like Russia and China - to step-up their sales efforts in the region.

The Americans have sought to persuade both Moscow and Beijing to resist such sales.