United Arab Emirates Air Force
United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence | |
---|---|
| |
Founded | 1968 |
Country | United Arab Emirates |
Type | Air force |
Role | |
Size | 552 aircraft[1] |
Part of | UAE Armed Forces |
Engagements |
|
Commanders | |
Current commander | C-17 Globemaster III, Airbus A330 MRTT |
The United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) (
History
The UAEAF's history starts in May 1968, with the formation of an Air Wing of the
The Emirate of Dubai maintained its own air component, the Dubai Defence Force Air Wing, until 1999, when the two were effectively merged to become what is now the United Arab Emirates Air Force. Although the integration of the two independent forces has been complete, a small degree of autonomy exists at the operational command level, with the Western Air Command being headquartered in Abu Dhabi and the Central Air Command in Dubai.[3]
Since the 1980s, a combination of regional instability and high oil prices has resulted in an ambitious modernisation of the UAEAF, with the goal of attaining a level of capability matching the highest NATO standards.[3]
In the 1991 Gulf War, the UAE helped other countries by carrying out airstrikes against Iraqi forces.
In 2014, the UAE Air Force along with the Egyptian Air Force carried out airstrikes in Libya against Islamist factions in Tripoli.[5][6][7]
In September 2014, UAE Air Force aircraft joined in US-led air strikes against terrorist targets in Syria and Iraq that later became known as Operation Inherent Resolve. These operations were suspended after a Jordanian pilot was captured by Islamic State militants in late December 2014; pending improvements in US search and rescue capabilities in the region.
In 2015, UAE Air Force dropped bombs on ISIS targets in Syria. One of them was Major Mariyam Al Mansouri, the first female UAE Air Force pilot.[8]
The UAE military is also part of the
Personnel and training
The UAEAF consists of about 4,000 personnel.[9]
In the 1970s and 80s, the UAEAF was instructed by
Women have started training as pilots. The first batch consisted of engineers given approval for flight training. So far, only three women have become actual fighter pilots and one a transport pilot. One woman pilot was grounded due to an ejection from a training flight in a Hawk 63. Instructors at
Currently there are five main air bases operational, split between the Western and Central Air Command. The Joint Aviation Command has its own airbase and operates a wide range of helicopters.
Candidates apply to the Khalifa bin Zayed Air College, which is located at the
Overview
2007 marked the culmination of the largest procurement programmes ever undertaken by the UAE Air Force, with the final deliveries of the 80
After a competition between the BAE Hawk, KAI T-50 Golden Eagle and Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master, the UAEAF announced the acquisition of 48 trainer and light attack aircraft, with the first deliveries to take place in 2012.[13] The other training types that are thought to be near replacement are the 30 Pilatus PC-7s and five Aermacchi MB-339s serving with the Air Academy at Al Ain.[14] The MB-339 is also in use with the UAEAF flight display team, Al Fursan.[15]
The UAEAF has operated 20
The most important facility of the UAEAF is the
Structure
As of 2008, the structure of the United Arab Emirates Air Force is as follows:[17]
Western Air Command - HQ at Abu Dhabi
- Fighter Wing - Al Dhafra Air Base
- 1st Shaheen Squadron - F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcon
- 2nd Shaheen Squadron - F-16E/F Desert Falcon
- 3rd Shaheen Squadron - F-16E/F Desert Falcon
- 71st Fighter Squadron - Mirage 2000-9EAD/DAD
- 76th Fighter Squadron - Mirage 2000-9EAD/DAD
- 86th Fighter Squadron - Mirage 2000-9EAD/DAD (Al Safran Air Base)
- Transport Wing - Al Bateen Air Base
- C-130 Squadron - C-130H Hercules
- CASA Squadron - CN-235M-110
- Puma Squadron - IAR-330SM Puma
- 6th Squadron - AB.412HP/SP, Bell-214B
- Naval Squadron - AS.565SB Panther
- C-130 Squadron -
Central Air Command - HQ at Dubai
- Al Minhad Air Base (helicopter base)
- 102nd CAS Squadron - BAE Hawk Mk.102
- Transport Squadron - C-130H-30, L-100-30 Hercules
- Special electronic missions Squadron Saab 340 AEW&C
- Air-to-air refueling Squadron Airbus A330 MRTT
- Dubai International Airport (transport aircraft)
Joint Aviation Command (JAC) - HQ at Abu Dhabi
- Group 10 (Assault) - Al Dhafra Air Base
- Group 18 (Special Operations) - Sas Al Nakheel Air Base
- Group 21 (Navy) - Sas Al Nakheel Air Base
- AS332B1, AS332M1, AS565MB, AS565SB
- Group 22 (COIN and Reconnaissance) - Swaihan Air Base
- Cessna 208B, DHC-6-300, DHC-6-400, Thrush S2R-T660
- Group 23 (Observation, Training) - Sas Al Nakheel Air Base
- Group 25 (Assault)- Sas Al Nakheel Air Base
- Group 26 (Assault) - Al Minhad Air Base, Sas Al Nakheel Air Base
- Group 28 (Observation and Reconnaissance) - Al Ain/Camp Hazza
- Bell407GX
Commanders
- Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
- Mohamed Al Qamzi
- Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi
Equipment
Aircraft
Joint Air Command
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reconnaissance | ||||||
Cessna 208 | United States | surveillance / utility | 8[27] | |||
DHC-6 Twin Otter | Canada | surveillance / utility | 3[27] | STOL capable aircraft | ||
Transport | ||||||
DHC-6 Twin Otter | Canada | transport / utility | 7[27] | STOL capable aircraft | ||
Helicopters
| ||||||
Bell 407 | United States | light utility | 29[27] | |||
AH-64 Apache | United States | attack | AH-64D/E | 30 | 10 on order[27] | |
CH-47 Chinook | United States | transport / utility | CH-47C/F | 28[27] | 12 obtained from Libya[28][29] | |
UH-60 Black Hawk | United States | utility | UH-60L/M | 80[27] | ||
Eurocopter AS565 | France | utility / SAR | 12[27] | |||
Eurocopter AS350
|
France | utility / rotorcraft trainer | 15[27] | |||
AgustaWestland AW139 | Italy | utility / SAR | 6[27] |
Retired
Previous aircraft operated by the Air Force were the
Future equipment
Future programs include the Next-Generation Fighter, request for proposals has been sent to
On 3 December 2021 it was announced that the UAE had signed an order for 80 Rafale F4s.[32]
See also
Further reading
References
- Yates, Athol (2020). The Evolution of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates. Warwick: Helion & Company. ISBN 9781912866007
- "Force Report: UAE Air Force & Air Defence", AirForces Monthlymagazine, January 2008 issue.
- ^ "2021 United Arab Emirates Military Strength". Archived from the original on 2020-09-13. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
- ISBN 9781912866007.
- ^ AirForces Monthly, p. 60.
- ^ Yates (2020). The Evolution of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates. p. 213.
- ^ "Egypt, UAE carried out Tripoli air strikes: U.S. officials". Reuters. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ "Libya crisis: US 'caught off-guard' by air strikes". BBC News. BBC. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ Kirkpatrick, David; Schmitt, Eric (25 August 2014). "Arab Nations Strike in Libya, Surprising U.S." The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ "UAE fighter pilot awarded at UN". Archived from the original on 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- US Department of State. Archivedfrom the original on 6 June 2002. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
- ^ "UAE eyes France's Rafale fighter". AFP. Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
- ^ AirForces Monthly, p. 61.
- ^ Tran, Pierre (14 November 2017). "Dassault to modernize UAE's Mirage fleet for a reported $350M". Defense News. Paris. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
- ^ "UAE Gives M346 a LIFT". Defense Industry Daily. Archived from the original on 2009-08-27. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
- ^ AirForces Monthly, p. 62.
- ^ "Pictures of the Day: 4 February 2018". The Telegraph. 4 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-09-30. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
- ^ "Eurocopter Romania awaits UAE contract". Jane's Intelligence Weekly. Archived from the original on August 7, 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
- ^ AirForces Monthly, p. 63.
- ^ "UAE Ordering Weaponized UH-60M 'Battlehawk' Helicopters". Defense Industry Daily. 17 September 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-09-21. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
- ^ a b Osborne, Tony (2 April 2015). "UAE's Mysterious Airbase". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
- ^ "Orbats". www.scramble.nl. Archived from the original on 4 Feb 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "World Air Forces 2023". Flight Global. Flightglobal Insight. 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Press kits - Dassault Aviation". Dassault Aviation, a major player to aeronautics. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
- ^ "United Arab Emirates orders two additional Airbus A330 MRTT". Airbus. 2021-11-14. Archived from the original on 2021-11-27. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ "SIPRI Arms Transfers Database". SIPRI. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "General Atomics confirms UAE Predator delivery | IHS Jane's 360". archive.ph. 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
- ^ a b Binnie, Jeremy (2023-03-07). "UAE displays new UAVs". Janes Information Services. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "World Air Forces 2021". Flightglobal Insight. 2021. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "UAE awards contracts for CH-47 upgrade". flightglobal.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ^ "World Air Forces 2020". Flightglobal Insight. 2020. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ "World Air Forces 1983 pg. 374". flightglobal.com. 1983. Archived from the original on 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- ^ "defense-watch.com". ww1.defense-watch.com. Archived from the original on 2018-12-24. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
- ^ John Irish (3 December 2021). "Cementing ties, UAE buys 80 French-made Rafale warplanes". Retrieved 3 December 2021.