Abu Dhabi: A thrilling live military display captivated thousands of spectators gathered at the Abu Dhabi Corniche on Thursday when the UAE Armed Forces displayed their tactical capabilities.

The demonstration titled ‘Union Fortress’, a sophisticated seaborne hostage rescue, showed the skills of multiple wings of the UAE Armed Forces, including the Presidential Guard ground force, the Joint Aviation Command, the UAE Navy, the UAE Air Force, the Air Defence and the army.

The UAE Armed Forces have been involved in international peacekeeping missions since 1976, and have taken up many successful initiatives under the leadership of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Shaikh Mohammad along with shaikhs and top officials watched the show.

The mock rescue mission began at 4.30pm when the UAE’s Armed Forces detected the presence of an enemy ship that had captured UAE troops. Immediately, actions were taken to rescue the hostages.

Freefall jumpers executed a parachute jump on to the enemy ship, while scuba divers from a UAE military submarine exited the vessel and approached the ship. Meanwhile, troops on the nearby beach fired at the enemy vessel.

Then, bell helicopters and a Blackhawk helicopter approached the ship and eliminated enemy forces on board. The UAE’s hostages were then rescued from the enemy vessel.

A number of seaborne vessels carrying Al Forsan Platoon troops and two Apache helicopters then launched a beach assault in two different locations.

Suddenly, enemy forces on an opposite side of the beach began shooting at the UAE’s Air Defence. When snipers on the UAE helicopters neutralised the enemy, more enemy forces on the beach began shooting at the ship.

This brought out the UAE’s ground troops in sophisticated military vehicles, and they launched another successful assault on enemy forces. Meanwhile, a bomb was dropped by F16 fighter jets and Mirage aircraft on an enemy boat approaching UAE forces.

The UAE Armed Forces then intensified their defence and brought in a Navy Corvette ship to assist in the evacuation of the UAE troops. At the same time, a Blackhawk helicopter lowered a basket to airlift the hostages and soldiers and transported them to safety.

The entire mission was monitored by air forces, which eventually launched a display of their skills while UAE soldiers and free fall jumpers were retrieved from the enemy ship.

To conclude, the aerial team put up a mini-air show in the colours of the UAE flag, and capped it all with a ‘heart’ formation to symbolise the troops’ dedication and commitment.

The entire demonstration was very realistic, and accompanied by narration in Arabic.

Hundreds of residents, including children of all ages, gathered along the Corniche to witness the demo, and areas with food outlets were full throughout the demonstration. There was an especially big crowd at the designated vantage points, which had large screens to provide a live view for attendees. Despite a light drizzle and low visibility due to the hazy weather, the enthusiasm at the Corniche was not dampened, and many visitors filmed the captivating show.

Afterwards, many visitors joined in an impassioned rendition of patriotic songs, and the beach areas that had been closed off during the demonstration were reopened.

Despite the large crowds, traffic on most surrounding roads mostly remained moved smoothly due to the efforts of traffic patrols stationed at various intersections along the Corniche.

Residents left spellbound

Vineeth Viswamani, India, 30

It was a spectacular show to watch. My favourite part was seeing fighter jets performing manoeuvres. It showed the training and skills of the pilots to be able to fly in such a coordinated manner. It’s the first time I have seen a show like this and I was very impressed. It shows you the great commitment of the country’s armed forces and the quality of the training they have received. I also enjoyed watching the helicopters flying in close formation and so near to the sea when they were performing their rescue drill operation.

 

Kurt Lufty, Indonesia, 40

It was a very good show. I really liked seeing how the military approaches dangerous situations at sea and rescues people from terrorists and hijackers. It was also nice to see all the technology of the Apache helicopters and fighter jets. The skill with which the pilots handled these aircraft was impressive. The planes came so close to us during the air show, you could see the pilot from where we were standing, and you could hear the sound of the jet so clearly, it was really exciting.

 

Esra Awe, Sudan, 26

It was a beautiful show and well-organised. The skills were very good. I think the military should showcase these skills more often because it’s really exciting to watch. There were a lot of great moments, but the one that stood out for me was the aerobatic show. It was so impressive to see how close the planes came together, and how they drew a heart in the middle of the sky.

 

Ahmad Al Fakhrany, Egypt, 30

An excellent show. I have only seen things like this in the movies, but never in real life. The skills of all the soldiers is commendable. It was very nice to see a close-up of how the military deals with threats in the sea. The sounds of the explosions felt like you were in a combat situation. It is different when you see and hear these things in real life compared to when you watch it on television.

 

Tissy Thomas, India, 38

I enjoyed watching the airshow, especially the fighter jets and choppers flying close to the water. Some of the formations were really awesome. The colour pattern they formed in the skies made the evening very special.