The UAE Armed Forces’ International Role Essay

Introduction                

The United Arab Emirates (Arabic الإمارات العربية المتحدة) is a well-known federal state in the Middle East consisting of seven separate emirates that have their governments, i.e., the absolute monarchy. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918 – 2004) was the most prominent leader throughout the history of the UAE. He made the country as it is today: impeccable, economically developed, and powerful in all senses. Behind Saudi Arabia, it enjoys the second biggest defense budget of the oil-rich Persian Gulf states at more than $14 billion (Bienaimé & Rosen 5).

An essential place in the foreign policy of the Emirates is the resolution of issues of pan-Arab unity. In strengthening relations with Western states and establishing ties with developing and industrialized countries, the Emirates act pragmatically. The next feature of the foreign policy of the United Arab Emirates is the fight against terrorism. The Emirates cooperate with countries affected by international terrorism, sharing information and discussing economic and social problems that may lead to the recruitment of terrorists (Almezaini 58). The UAE also holds an active position in the fight against human trafficking and money laundering.

Little is known about UAE armed forces for foreigners, but they are one of the most influential across the globe. The armed forces of the United Arab Emirates are a set of troops established to protect the freedom, territorial integrity of the state, and independence. The armed forces include Ground Forces, Navy (including marines), Air Force, and National Coast Guard. The military budget was 2 billion dollars in the mid-90s, by the end of the 90s grew up to 3.2 billion dollars. Military spending is even higher at $3.8 billion in 1999, $ 3.9 billion in 2000.

The UAE armed forces are commonly referred to as the “Little Sparta” by the generals of the United States Armed Forces and by the US Secretary of Defense James Mattis because of its active and effective military role, especially in the war on terrorism, despite the scrutiny of the personnel.

The UAE is a member of the UN, the Arab League, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and others. Since its inception, the UAE officially joined the group of non-aligned countries and acted as “absolute neutrality,” which allowed them to maintain “equidistance.” Regarding the Middle East settlement, the UAE is in favor of the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from all the occupied Arab territories. They also demand to ensure all the legitimate rights of the Arab people of Palestine, including their power to create their own state, i.e., without recognizing the right to exist for the people of Israel. Concerning the Iran-Iraq war, the United Arab Emirates supported Iraq, providing it with material and moral assistance and at the same time maintained economic ties with Iran. Great importance is attached to participation in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), where the UAE sees an effective mechanism for ensuring regional stability and cooperation.

Various studies, books, and articles have reported a bunch of stories, targets, tactics, and global role. The UAE armed forces are gradually becoming more and more leading in the entire world, and it is unknown what might happen in the nearest future. Though it is hard to know all the ins and outs, the paper reveals the history of armed forces’ appearance, their international role in such areas as Yemen, Kosovo, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran/Iraq, and Eritrea, military industry, and overall impact across the globe.

Historical Background

The history of the armed forces on the territory of the current United Arab Emirates begins with the creation of a paramilitary unit called Trucial Oman Scouts. This unit was founded in Sharjah in 1951 and was initially called Trucial Oman Levies. They resembled police units, and their task was to maintain internal order, especially in remote settlements from the main centers, and to fight banditry and the slave trade.

The militia was transformed into a militant Scout unit after the arrival in 1952 of an armed forces unit in Saudi Arabia commanded by a major of the British Army and two officers of Jordanian origin, seconded from the Arab Legion (regular Jordanian army in the first half of the 20th century) arrived in Buraimi Oasis. Soon the command of Trucial Oman Levies included 32 officers from the Arab Legion, and a little later – 30 British officers and several Arabs. They were recruited mainly from among the residents of Abu Dhabi, but among them were Yemenis who were seconded to Trucial Oman Levies to Aden Protectorate Levies, a British remote police unit based in South Yemen.

 By the end of 1952, the number of Trucial Oman Levies was a battalion. By 1955, 500 people served in there; in 1956, they were renamed Trucial Oman Scouts. They had a high reputation for their impartiality, excellent military training, and effectiveness. The service in this paramilitary unit was well paid. Funding for Scouts cost 1071 two million pounds annually in the United Kingdom.

Armed Forces Now

The UAE had the 15th-highest military expenditures of any country in the world in 2013  (Bienaimé & Rosen 5). The voluntary military service begins at the age of 18. Since 2014, military service is mandatory for male citizens aged 18 to 30 years. Compulsory service lasts from 9 months (for men with a high school diploma) to two years (for men without a high school certificate). Women can undergo voluntary service in the army for nine months. The allied defense forces currently number 65,000, including foreign nationals, whose numbers are continuously decreasing. The officer corps is almost wholly composed of citizens of the country. The headquarters of the Allied Defense Forces is located in Abu Dhabi. The main task of the UAE army is to protect the territory of the state.

Although the main military force in the UAE is represented by federal armed forces, called the “Allied Forces of Defense,” some emirates have their own small armed forces:

•    The defense forces of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi: the total number is 15 000 people. Three army battalions, an artillery battery, an air force unit equipped with 12 Hawker Hunter bomber fighters and a naval unit equipped with four high-speed patrol boats.

•    The defense forces of the emirate of Dubai is 20 000 infantry.

•    The defense forces of the Emirate of Ras Al Hayman have 9 000 people.

Despite their small number, the UAE armed forces are equipped with the most modern weapons systems, manufactured in various countries, including Russia and Ukraine. In 2010 and 2011, the United Arab Emirates was one of the largest foreign buyers of military equipment and equipment in the United States, spending about US$14 billion to strengthen the country’s defense capability.

Army Ground Forces

The ground forces organizationally consist of a headquarters, a brigade of the Emir’s guard, two armored brigades, two mechanized infantry brigades, one motorized brigade of five equipped with light armored battalions, one artillery brigade, one air defense brigade, a battalion “rangers” and several separate parts and units of support. There are also different infantry units of central subordination deployed in the territory of the emirate of Dubai. Operationally, the UAE Army is divided into three territorial military commanders (Western, Central, and Northern) with headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras al-Hayman. Considering the UAE ground forces, one cannot ignore the fact that the command of national armed forces in recent years has been paying increased attention to the use of army units in international humanitarian and peacekeeping operations.

Air Forces

The history of the UAE Air Force is somewhat different from the history of the land forces of the country. Its beginning ensues from 1968 with the creation of the Air Force of the army of Abu Dhabi under the command and assistance of Great Britain. In 1972, the first significant investments were made in the development of the Abu Dhabi Air Force. Training pilots and support staff engaged in the Air Force of Pakistan. The second emirate that had military aircraft was Dubai. In 1999, the two divisions merged and the UAE Air Force was formed. Currently, the staff of the UAE Air Force is about 4,000 people and about 368 aircraft of various types. Now, almost all combat pilots of the UAE Air Force are citizens of the country. Foreign citizens are mainly engaged in database maintenance and training.

Navy Forces

Combat training of crews and staffs are carried out in the UK, France, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The development of the UAE Navy is one of the priority areas of military construction. The main base is located in Abu Dhabi. The primary target of the Navy of the UAE is to protect the coast of the country. They are equipped with 90 BTR-3 armored personnel carriers manufactured in Ukraine. Today the number of employees of the UAE Navy is rather small – about 2500 people.

Troops in Kosovo

The United Arab Emirates was the first Arab country to recognize the independence of Kosovo, the Serbian province. After the Serbian government was majorly against the ethnic Albanian population in Kosovo in 1998, the UAE rushed to international intervention and launched a major humanitarian assistance program through its Red Crescent Society. In 1999, the UAE was one of the first non-NATO countries to articulate support for NATO bombing (Nardulli et al. 55). During the UN administrative period, the UAE contained nearly 1,500 peacekeeping and special operations in Kosovo.

The UAE was the only Arab state that offered to assist the Kosovo Force, and its commitment and engagement were the first operational implementation of the UAE forces outside the Middle East. In fact, even before the deployment of troops, the UAE sent low loads of assistance and treated refugees from Kosovo in their camps using mobile medical clinics equipped with x-ray machines (Nardulli et al. 96). These troops remained in Kosovo from 1998 to 2008; the assistance provided to Kosovo by the UAE Red Crescent Office cost Dh125 million, the largest international humanitarian mission in the history of the UAE.

The UAE, for its part, has invested a lot in the province, having built up to 50 mosques: apparently, this is necessary, given 90% of the country’s population are Muslims, but this is only one aspect of what the country needs. If the UAE and other supporters of Kosovo’s independence want to make sure that the recent state does not become a victim of religious extremism, they should invest in secular institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and vocational training centers. They must also ensure that the mosque is staffed with tolerant imams, and not brainwashing preachers who went to Afghanistan and Pakistan.  It would be wrong if the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Europe and the rest of the civilized world once again abandoned Kosovo after they supported and supported its independence.

Troops in Afghanistan

The UAE troops, while fighting under Saudi Arabia’s leadership in Yemen, have not yet commented on the involvement of soldiers in Afghanistan. The UAE is the first Islamic nation to deploy soldiers under the coalition to Afghanistan, where the Taliban and Daesh (former ISIS) have increased their attacks in recent months (Salahuddin 4). In the past, the UAE conducted several rounds of indirect negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

In Afghanistan, since January 1, 2015, the non-combat mission of NATO “Resolute support” has been operating, the primary purpose of which is to train and advice representatives of the Afghan security forces. It replaced the military mission led by the anti-terrorist coalition under the command of the USA and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) under the leadership of NATO. Furthermore, NATO has conceded that it does not intend to return to the military operation in Afghanistan and does not consider the decision to cease the combat mission in 2014 as an error.

A country of less than 10 million citizens has even proven willing frequently to use military force around the region (Bienaimé & Rosen 3). Although the UAE was one of the three countries that recognized the Taliban regime, for many years, they contributed over two dozen soldiers to the earlier NATO mission. This mission lasted from the end of 2001 until the end of 2014, when most of the foreign military forces were withdrawn. More recently, the Emirates became victims of insurgent violence, as in January 2017, when an explosion in Kandahar Province fatally wounded the Ambassador of the Emirati and killed several humanitarian aid workers from the Emirati. The UAE has hosted several rounds of indirect talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government in the past (Salahuddin 12).

In 2018 Afghanistan approved the deployment of the UAE’s military contingent on its territory. Turkmen Foreign Ministry said that Afghanistan needs social projects for establishing peace there. According to the statement, the military units of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar will be deployed in Afghanistan as part of the NATO “Resolute Support” mission to support, advice, and train troops. As noted, at the moment the exact number of soldiers that will be sent to Afghanistan is not specified; also the date of arrival is still vague.

Troops in Somalia

The UAE has trained hundreds of military personnel since 2014 as part of the efforts of the African Union military mission to combat the Islamist insurgency and ensure the country’s security for the government, supported by Western countries, Turkey, and the United Nations.

Analysts say Somalia’s relations with the UAE are strained in a dispute between Qatar and Saudi Arabia because Mogadishu refused to take sides. Arab states have strong trade ties and influence in Somalia, but this is offset by the power of Qatar and its ally, Turkey, one of Somalia’s largest foreign investors. The UAE decided to disband its military training program in Somalia to increase the capabilities of the Somali army. On the same breath, this is Somalia itself who dissolve UAE’s peacemaking program to train some of its troops in a new sign of growing tensions in bilateral relations. The Somali government has announced that it will pay for and train the soldiers in the program. Somalia will fully take over (its troops) taught by the UAE. The UAE controls anti-piracy police forces in a semi-autonomous region of Somalia in Puntland. Abu Dhabi agreed to prepare a security force in Somaliland, an area in northern Somalia seeking to secede from the country. The UAE also signed a 30-year concession with Somaliland (where they are building a new military base) to manage Berbera in a semi-autonomous region. The UAE also has a foothold in northern Somalia, where Emirati firms have set up commercial ports, and its troops conduct military and training missions (Browning & Cornwell 9).

The UAE “is deploying its soldiers and cash to create a web of bases and armed allies in Yemen and Somalia as a bulwark against Islamist extremists and Iranian influence” (Browning & Cornwell 2). The United Arab Emirates has been increasing its military presence in Somalia. The purpose of this action is the strengthening of the influence of the UAE on the Red Sea, which is of strategic importance to the state.

Even though the population of the UAE is only 10 million people, the Emirates have the second largest economy in the region, based mainly on the sale of petroleum products. Thus the official goal of the country’s military presence is to strive to counter-terrorism, as well as the growing influence of Iran. Though since 2014, the UAE has been trained the Somali military under Puntland, this cooperation was discontinued after the April 15 incident at the Mogadishu airport with a delegation from the UAE military. At that time, $ 9.6 million were confiscated at customs, which allegedly were not declared. Finally, relations between the countries were spoiled by the discovery of the United Arab Emirates in the territory of the self-proclaimed Somaliland military base.

Troops in Yemen

The armed conflict in Yemen, or the September 21 Revolution, is a civil war in Yemen between Houthis (Shiite rebels) on the one hand and government forces on the other. The Houthis (cf. Ansarullah) is a Shiite militia group supported by Iran, gradually seized power in Yemen in 2014–2015, which was regarded by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries as an anti-constitutional coup d’état.

Ten countries agreed to take part in the invasion against the Houthis. Saudi Arabia deployed 100 fighter jets and 150,000 troops in Yemen. Such countries as the United Arab Emirates (30 fighters), Kuwait (15), Bahrain (15), Qatar (10) and Jordan (6) expressed readiness to provide military aid. Additionally, Egypt and Pakistan are taking part in the campaign, sending naval forces and air forces to the Yemen region.  According to Reuters (2018), airplanes of Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain significantly take part in the campaign. Kuwait sent three squadrons of F / A-18 Super Hornet fighter-bomber armed forces to the Saudis, while the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco sent a total of 44 aircraft. Abu Dhabi, the political capital of the seven-emirate federation, is moving assertively against the threat it sees from Islamist groups such as al Qaeda while promoting itself as a stable, open and mostly tolerant Muslim country (Browning & Cornwell 10).

Since 2014, civil war has continued in Yemen. In 2015, a coalition conducted by Saudi Arabia intervened in the conflict, which led to an escalation of violence in the country. The civil war caused a humanitarian catastrophe in the country, manifested in outbreaks of viral infections, in particular, cholera, which killed thousands of people. As a result of the internal confrontation, in the state, a significant influence was concentrated in the hands of Al-Qaida militants who control specific regions of the country. As a result, the United Arab Emirates announced the start of a particular operation against Ad-Qaida militants. The mission began on the morning of February 26 in the Shabwa province, located in the central part of Yemen. The UAE has built up local army units in Yemen, increasing its influence along the Red Sea coast, but also opening up a rift with the country’s exiled government (Browning & Cornwell 8).

June 14, 2018, the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government forces launched the most massive offensive for the entire war in Yemen against the central part of the country of Hodeida, which is held by the Houthis rebels. Notably, the operation “Golden Victory” began after the expiration of the deadline set by the United Arab Emirates for the Houthis rebels to leave the port. Military sources said the tactics of an attack on the port of Hodeida provided for the liberation of the city with the minimum number of civilian casualties.

 Troops in Eritrea

Although Eritrea has been under the UN sanctions since 2009 for supporting Al-Qaida’s forces in Somalia and sending 2,000 soldiers for help, the conflict in Yemen gives it the opportunity to get out of isolation. To combat Ansarullah in South Yemen, the UAE has a secret aviation base in Eritrea, from which it can be used against Yemen’s Houthis. Due to this base, Emirates strike aircraft can use a shorter route to strike at Yemeni rebels and their allies, who have remained loyal to former President Abdullah Saleh. The base is, in fact, located on the territory of Asmara International Airport, where are still military infrastructure facilities since the moment of commissioning. UAE aircraft, operating this air base, fly to the bombing of ground targets mainly in the province of Taiz, located between Sanaa and Aden.

Meanwhile, on the UAE-leased base in Eritrea, a “significant” force of UAE F16 and other military aircraft is poised to carry out more air strikes (Garner 15). Since mid-November, several sorties have already been flown. Saudi Arabia and the UAE pay Eritrea compensation in the form of cash and fuel supplies in exchange for deploying military units, using Eritrean’s air and sea space, and, presumably, the Eritrean military in operation against the Houthis rebels in the war that continues in Yemen. The military campaign to drive out the Iranian-backed rebel militia from the key Red Sea port is being directed, funded and led by the UAE (Gardner 2). Thus it was one of the key points for the operation.

Troops in Iraq/Iran

The Iran-Iraq war, which ensued in September 1980, sharply aggravated the situation in the Persian Gulf. Initially, the position of the UAE concerning the warring parties was of a dual nature (Al-Nakhi 11). On the one hand, the Emirates supported Iraq, giving it moral and material support ($5 billion in 1980–1988); on the other hand, they maintained economic ties with Iran and did not break up diplomatic relations with it. The UAE tried to provide mediation services to belligerent states. As the Iran-Iraq war tightened, the situation in the Persian Gulf became increasingly tense. With the growing threat to the security of the country, the Emirates have become more actively involved in activities to strengthen political and military cooperation within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) established in 1982. In 1982, the UAE signed a security agreement with Saudi Arabia. In 1987-1988, the Emirates went into closer political and military cooperation with the United States. In particular, the American warships were granted the right to call at the ports of the country, to carry out repairs and refueling in them. Earlier, in 1983, the UAE entered the zone of responsibility of the US Central Command.

The Emirates strongly condemned the seizure of Kuwait by Iraq in August 1990. As part of the preparation and conduct of the operation to liberate Kuwait, the Government of the country authorized the deployment of “Arab and other friendly states” armed forces on its territory. In January-February 1991, military units of the federal army took part in the operation “Desert Storm.” Experts of the UAE Center for Strategic Studies (CSI) strongly emphasize the need to preserve defense cooperation with Western countries to maintain military-political stability in the region in the new millennium nature (Al-Nakhi 34). Moreover, according to the center, as long as the Persian Gulf region remains in the zone of US interests, the object of Washington’s long-term political, economic and military affairs, this will guarantee the security of the Emirates.

Military Industry

The UAE, the world’s 14th largest military reserve in 2016, has a comparative advantage to build a local defense industry because it seeks to meet security needs, diversify its economy, increase employment, and expand its knowledge base (Almezaini 71). The UAE began to produce more military hardware to reduce foreign dependence and promote national industrialization. Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding Company (ADSB) presents a number of vessels and is the primary contractor under the Baynunah program, which provides for the development and production of 5-6 corvettes intended for work in the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. They also manufacture ammunition, military vehicles, and uncrewed aerial vehicles.

In 2007, the first small arm ever released in the UAE, the caracal-pistol, was presented at IDEX. It became the official sider of the UAE armed forces and security forces. The Bahrain National Guard accepted it shortly thereafter. In April 2008, Jordan ordered an unspecified number of pistols during SOFEX, an exhibition of Special Forces in Jordan. The UAE and Algeria created on November 17, 2008, a joint committee to check the caracal for further adoption by Algeria.

The joint venture agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 2007 between Tawazun Holding LLC, an investment company created by the Offset Program Bureau (OPB), Al-Jaber Trade Institution, a member of the Al-Jaber Group, and the Rheinmetall Munitions Systems, to build a factory of ammunition Al-Burkan in the military city of Zayed in Abu Dhabi. The Bureau signed four Memorandums of Understanding with leading companies from Singapore and West Europe at the Paris Conference on Defense Protection in the Eurozone, June 20: the Rheinmetall Group, the Diehl Defense Holding of Germany, Thales of France, and Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engg).

Conclusion

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federal state in South-West Asia in the north-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE has a favorable geographical and important military-strategic position in an area with abundant oil and gas reserves, as well as near the most crucial sea communications in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Independence (December 1971), the UAE’s foreign policy has been generally pro-Western but has been characterized by moderation. In the complicated military and political situation in the Gulf region, its main element in the 70s-80s of the twentieth century was the tactic of political compromise and the desire to refuse to participate in foreign policy events that are not related to the security of the country. The leaders of the UAE preferred to be careful, act with caution and did not come up with any independent initiatives.

At the moment, the United Arab Emirates is a member of the League of Arab States, the UN, etc. The United Arab Emirates is officially included in the number of non-aligned states and retains “absolute neutrality.” This allows the country to remain equidistant from the East and the West. The basic principles of the foreign policy of the United Arab Emirates are negotiation, diplomacy, and compassion. The state clearly fulfills its obligations to maintain security, stability, and peace in the region. To this end, the UAE actively contributes to the establishment of relations between countries, maintaining dialogue and building partnerships. The government of the Emirates has a balanced and effective foreign policy. The UAE is aware of the importance of fair relations between countries and adheres to the principle of non-interference in their sovereign affairs

The UAE armed forces’ troops in Kosovo, Somalia, Iran/Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Yemen have benefited the unfavorable incidents there. Though the Emirates have its own purposes and missions, they significantly helped and contributed their power, influence, and authority during their wars, battles, and some contradictories. Notably, the United Arab Emirates is prone to resolving disputes peacefully. They provide support to international organizations in the observance of treaties and conventions, as well as in strengthening the rule of international law. Ultimately, the paper reveals the purpose, mission, and outcomes of the UAE armed forces on the global arena.

Works Cited

Almezaini, Khalid S. The UAE and Foreign Policy: Foreign Aid, Identities and Interests (Culture and Civilization in the Middle East). London: Routledge, 2011.

Al-Nakhi, Ibrahim M. “The Gulf Waw: U.A.E. Participation.” Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), 1993, www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a264530.pdf

Bienaimé, Pierre & Rosen, Armin. “The Most Powerful Army You’ve Never Heard Of.” Business Insider, Nov.6, 2014, www.businessinsider.com/why-the-uae-is-the-middle-easts-rising-military-power-2014-11

Browning, Noah & Cornwell, Alexander. “UAE Extends Military Reach in Yemen and Somalia.” Reuters, May 11, 2018, www.reuters.com/article/us-uae-security-yemen-somalia/uae-extends-military-reach-in-yemen-and-somalia-idUSKBN1IC12A

Gardner, Frank. “UAE Reinforcements in Eritrea Ready to Join Hudaydah Battle.” BBC News, June 15, 2018, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-44500455

Nardulli, Bruce R., Perry, Walter L., Gordon IV Bruce Pirnie John, McGinn, John G. Disjointed War Military Operations in Kosovo, 1999. Santa-Monica, CA:  RAND, 2002.

Salahuddin, Syed. “Afghanistan Endorses UAE’s Bid for Troop Deployment Under NATO Command.” Arab News, June 6, 2018, www.arabnews.com/node/1317031/world

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

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