U.S.-U.A.E. Defense and Security Relationship

As Abu Dhabi prepares to host the biennial International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX), the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council is pleased to release the fourth edition of its report, “An Enduring Partnership: The U.S.-U.A.E. Defense and Security Relationship.”

This report, which was previously published in October 2017, serves as a core background document for any company or individual wanting to better understand the origins of the bilateral defense and security relationship, how far it has progressed, and opportunities for new growth and partnership in the future.

The study highlights:

  • The evolution of U.S.-U.A.E. defense and security cooperation from the First Gulf War to the present
  • The stationing of thousands of U.S. military personnel in the U.A.E.
  • Joint exercises and training between American and Emirati troops
  • Tens of billions of dollars in U.S. arms sales to the U.A.E.
  • Joint confrontation of shared regional challenges
  • Close counterterrorism cooperation
  • The 2017 Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between the two countries

In addition, this study analyzes key factors influencing the bilateral defense and security relationship, from the conflict in Yemen to the development of the U.A.E.’s national defense industrial base to new U.S. guidelines for arms sales abroad.

Ultimately, the report shows how the U.A.E. has become not just a consumer of security, but also a provider of security and a key U.S. partner in a volatile and dangerous region.

To read the full U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council report on the U.S.-U.A.E. Defense and Security Relationship, please click here.