France will on Wednesday sign 2.5 billion euros of defence deals and provisional agreements with Kuwait, including a sale of Airbus-built military helicopters worth 1 billion euros, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

The deal for 24 Caracal heavy helicopters has been in the works since June, when French officials said it had been provisionally agreed during a visit to the Gulf emirate by French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Also due to be signed on Wednesday during a visit by Kuwait’s prime minister are non-binding “letters of acceptance” on deals worth 1.5 billion euros for ground vehicles built by Volvo’s Renault Trucks Defense and the modernisation of P37 patrol boats, the source said.

(Reporting by Marine Pennetier, Writing by Tim Hepher; Editing by Laurence Frost)