UAE: Readiness and transparency as pillars of security and stability

In its effective and highly professional handling of the Iranian missile and drone attacks it has faced, the United Arab Emirates has demonstrated exceptional readiness and capability in containing threats to its national security. It has managed the repercussions of such crises with the utmost professionalism, preserving the calm and stability that define it as an oasis of security and safety — an asset that represents one of its most valuable investments and a cornerstone of the attractiveness and distinctiveness of its development model.

The clearest evidence of the UAE’s exceptional defence preparedness lies in the figures and statistics. The country was subjected to a magnitude of attacks comparable to the total faced by the rest of its fellow Gulf Cooperation Council states combined. During the first four days of the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, the UAE Armed Forces intercepted more than 1,000 Iranian missile and drone attacks. In detail, and according to the UAE’s official media briefing, UAE air defences engaged 186 ballistic missiles, destroying 172 of them, while 13 fell into the sea and one landed within the country’s territory. They also intercepted 812 drones, destroying 755 of them, while 57 fell within the country. In addition, eight cruise missiles were intercepted, and all were destroyed.

These are not mere passing numbers. They warrant careful reflection — particularly by observers and experts — because they reflect immense and sustained efforts by detection, reporting, planning, launch, air and operational coordination, tracking, and follow-up teams, as well as a wide array of highly precise technical, logistical, and combat operations that allow no margin for error. Any miscalculation could have cost the nation and its people — God forbid — a heavy price, whether in terms of strategic assets or human lives, which far outweigh any economic or infrastructural consideration.

At stake as well was the UAE’s global reputation and standing, long associated with being an oasis of security, safety, and stability. This particular point posed a major challenge for the Armed Forces, which succeeded with distinction in upholding and affirming that reality.

In truth, it must be acknowledged that this massive number of attacks would have been sufficient to undermine the security and stability of any state lacking a highly prepared and capable air and missile defence system — one able to deal effectively with missile and drone systems that vary in range, type, technological sophistication, and destructive capability. Confronting such threats requires a deep understanding of the nature of the attacks and the possession of a sufficient strategic stockpile of munitions to ensure effective interception of diverse aerial threats over overlapping and closely timed waves — conditions that challenge even the most complex defence systems.

In combat tactics, Iran often resorts to what is known as a “saturation” strategy — launching successive waves of “hybrid attacks” combining missiles and drones. These waves are composed of different types of missiles and drones that vary in their operational capabilities, with the aim of achieving two key “military” objectives. First, to overwhelm and disperse deterrence and air defence systems, forcing them to deploy large numbers of interceptor missiles to ensure effectiveness, while also relying on advanced aerial capabilities to shoot down drones — some of which have sophisticated stealth, manoeuvreability, and radar-deception features. Therefore, destroying such a vast number of missiles and drones within a matter of hours and days — without any breach of the UAE’s air defences, which could have resulted in catastrophic material and human losses had even a single missile or drone struck a target inside the country — clearly reflects exemplary operational and strategic performance by the UAE Armed Forces in one of the most complex crises the region has witnessed in modern history.

The second “military” objective behind Iran’s adoption of these large-scale offensive tactics against the UAE is to attempt to deplete the country’s strategic stockpile of air defence systems, thereby eventually gaining freedom to strike strategic targets within UAE territory. That moment would represent the most dangerous stage in any military confrontation — a scenario that Iran itself faces amid the intensive attacks launched against it by the United States and Israel.

However, strategic planners in the UAE possess a deep forward-looking vision that takes into account even the worst-case scenarios. Incidentally, this approach is one of the core pillars of the UAE’s strategic planning across all sectors of work and development. The success of this planning was manifested in the deterrence and destruction of more than 1,000 missiles and drones without exhausting air defence stockpiles, while affirming the continued readiness and sufficiency of these reserves to sustain deterrence should such blatant attacks persist.

Thus, the missile and aerial saturation strategy adopted by Iran failed in the face of the readiness and effectiveness of the UAE’s air defence systems. Despite their intensity and diversity, these attacks achieved nothing beyond proving the strength of the UAE’s strategic deterrence and confirming the efficiency of its air defence network. More than 1,000 missile and drone attacks resulted only in limited and manageable material damage stemming from interception operations. One of the key reasons behind the failure of the Iranian attacks lies in the UAE’s preparedness. Specialised strategic studies and reports consistently affirm that the country possesses one of the most advanced and integrated air defence networks at both the regional and international levels. It has developed multi-layered defence systems covering different altitudes and ranges to ensure comprehensive protection of its airspace — systems that have demonstrated complete effectiveness and high efficiency in intercepting this massive volume of missile and drone attacks.

The exceptional performance of the valiant UAE Armed Forces in fulfilling their combat missions, defending the homeland, and safeguarding the nation’s capabilities is the fruit of sustained efforts undertaken over many years by the wise leadership to develop the UAE’s strategic capabilities — both defensive and offensive. This represents a top priority for President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It should not be overlooked that Sheikh Mohamed’s own professional formation is as a fighter pilot, meaning he fully understands the value and importance of possessing advanced combat systems across all branches of the Armed Forces — particularly a unique, multi-layered missile defence architecture designed specifically to counter high-speed ballistic threats and drones, and equipped with the latest systems capable of intercepting any incoming threat through graduated defensive layers, regardless of their technological sophistication or advancement.

Elyazia Jasim AlHosani is Head of the Media Communications Department at TRENDS Research & Advisory