DAUBI (Agencies): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defence (MoD) held a reception ceremony for an early warning aircraft at Al-Dhafra Air Base on 24 April. Major General Ibrahim Nasser al-Alawi, the commander of the Air Force and Air Defence (AFAD), stated that the aircraft is a “qualitative addition” that will aid in protecting the country’s strategic interests.
The MoD released a video showing a Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, without AFAD markings, being escorted by F-16 and Mirage 2000-9 fighters before landing at Al-Dhafra. The video also showed personnel with 8th Aviation Wing badges working at a ground station.
Saab confirmed the following day that it had delivered the fourth of five GlobalEyes ordered by the UAE on 18 April. This suggests that the UAE is bolstering its early warning capabilities, which could significantly enhance its situational awareness and response times in various strategic scenarios.