United Arab Emirates Air Force & Air Defence (UAEAF&AD) and the Joint Air Command for the year 2026. The UAE continues to field the most capable and well-trained armed forces in the GCC, characterized by a rapid diversification of suppliers (including France, South Korea, China, and Turkiye) and the growth of its domestic defense conglomerate, EDGE Group.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AIR FORCE & AIR DEFENCE (UAEAF&AD)
Air Force ε4,500 personnel. Strategy: Operating a multi-tiered defense architecture with high-tech sensor fusion, including a significant shift toward autonomous systems and fifth-generation capabilities.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

• AIRCRAFT 148 combat capable.

Fighter & Fighter Ground Attack:

• 80 Dassault Rafale (Deliveries ongoing following the 2021 order).
• 55 Lockheed Martin F-16E Block 60 Fighting Falcon (Desert Eagle).
• 44 Dassault Mirage 2000-9/EAD/RAD.
• (On Order: 50 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II).

Light Attack & COIN:

• 24 IOMAX Archangel.
• 24 Calidus B-250.
• 16 Air Tractor AT-802.

Special Mission (AEW&C / SIGINT / MPA):

• 5 Saab GlobalEye (Global 6000 AEW).
• 2 Bombardier Global 6000 (Recce).
• 2 Bombardier Challenger 650 (MPA).
• 2 de Havilland Canada Dash 8 (MPA).
• 1 Bombardier Global 6000 (SIGINT).

Tanker:

• 5 Airbus A330 MRTT.

Transport:

• 8 Boeing C-17A Globemaster III.
• 8 Lockheed Martin C-130H/L-100.
• 7 Airbus C295.
• 2 Piaggio P180 Avanti (MEDEVAC).
• 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-6.
• 1 PAC P-750.
• 1 Quest Kodiak 100.

Training (Fixed-wing):

• 40 Calidus B-250.
• 31 Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer.
• 25 Pilatus PC-21.
• 21 Lockheed Martin F-16F Block 60 Fighting Falcon (Combat capable).
• 15 Dassault Mirage 2000-9DAD.
• 12 Grob G115TA.
• 12 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 102.
• 6 Hongdu L-15 (36 additional on order).
• 3 Beechcraft King Air 90.

• HELICOPTER 12 combat capable (Air Force specific).

Multi-role & Utility (Helicopter):

• 8 Leonardo AW139.
• 4 Bell 412.
• 3 Airbus H145.
• 2 Airbus H125M/AS350/550.

Training (Helicopter):

• 13 Bell 407 (Horizon International).
• 12 Bell 505 (Horizon International; 2 additional on order).

JOINT AIR COMMAND Aviation Support Subordinate command providing rotary-wing attack and tactical transport for joint operations.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

• HELICOPTER 206+ active.

Attack (Helicopters):

• 30 Boeing AH-64D/E Apache (29 additional "E" models on order).

Multi-role & Utility (Helicopters):

• 80 Sikorsky S-70/UH-60L/M Black Hawk.
• 29 Bell 407.
• 15 Airbus H125M/AS350/550.
• 12 Aerospatiale AS565 Panther.

Transport (Helicopters):

• 28 Boeing CH-47C+/F Chinook.
• 8 Airbus H215M/AS332 Super Puma.
• 4 Leonardo AW139 (SAR).
• (On Order: 3 Leonardo AW609 (SAR)).

Special Mission & Transport (Fixed-wing):

• 13 Cessna 208 (Recce).
• 7 de Havilland Canada DHC-6.
• 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 (Recce).

• UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS)

• Combat & ISR (Heavy): Wing Loong I; Wing Loong II; RQ-1E Predator XP.
• Combat & ISR (Medium): Bayraktar TB2.
• ISR (Medium): Seeker II.

• AIR DEFENCE

Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM):

• Long-range: 2 batteries THAAD; 37 M902 Patriot PAC-3; 2+ Barak LRAD.
• Medium-range: Cheongung II (KM-SAM) (Deliveries ongoing).
• Short-range / Point-defence: 42 96K6 Pantsir-S1; Crotale; Mistral; Rapier; RBS-70.

• AIR-LAUNCHED WEAPONS

• Air-to-Air Missiles (AAM): AIM-9L/X Sidewinder; AIM-120B/C AMRAAM; Mica (IR/RF); R-550 Magic.
• Air-to-Surface Missiles (ASM): Black Shaheen (Storm Shadow/SCALP); AGM-65G Maverick; AGM-114 Hellfire; Hakeem 1/2/3; LJ-7.
• Precision Bombs: Al Tariq (Sovereign design); GBU-54 Laser JDAM; GBU-12/58 Paveway II.

Note: By 2026, the UAEAF&AD is transitioning into a networked, cross-domain force. The induction of the GlobalEye AEW&C and ongoing deliveries of the Rafale F4 have significantly enhanced its regional power projection. The force also benefits from the 2019 consolidation of its defense firms into the EDGE Group, which now focuses on domestic R&D for smart weapons and UAS. In early 2024, UAE assets, including the E-11A, were notably used to facilitate humanitarian relief operations. Strategic defense is bolstered by a multi-layered SAM umbrella featuring the THAAD and the newly acquired South Korean Cheongung II systems.