United Arab Emirates Air Force

Key facts

Official Name United Arab Emirates Air Force
Local Name القوات الجوية والدفاع الجوي الإماراتية (Al Quwwāt al Jawwīyah wal Difāʿ al Jawwī al Imārātīyah)
Country🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
World rank#21
Active aircrafts551 as of 2025
Aircrafts on order261
Roundel

Roundel of United Arab Emirates air force

Overview

The United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) is a technologically advanced and combat-experienced force, structured to project power and defend national interests. Its organization is divided into the Western and Central Air Commands, headquartered in Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively, alongside a Joint Aviation Command for rotary-wing assets. This structure allows for integrated command and control across its main operating bases, such as Al Dhafra and Al Minhad.

The UAEAF's strategic doctrine emphasizes maintaining a qualitative military edge through the acquisition of advanced Western hardware and developing interoperability with key partners like the United States and France. This doctrine is geared towards deterrence, primarily against Iran, and enables an expeditionary capability to conduct operations beyond its borders. This is reflected in a force structure built around multi-role combat aircraft capable of precision strike, air superiority, and reconnaissance missions. A focus on jointness aims to integrate air, land, and sea assets for combined arms effectiveness.

Recent engagements have demonstrated the UAEAF's operational capabilities. In Yemen, as part of the Saudi-led coalition, the Air Force provided close air support and strike capabilities, utilizing its F-16 and Mirage 2000 fleets. It also established forward operating bases to support these operations effectively. In Libya, the UAEAF conducted air operations, including drone strikes, in support of allied factions, showcasing its ability to sustain expeditionary campaigns far from its home territory. These campaigns have provided the UAEAF with significant combat experience.

The most notable recent acquisition is on 80 Dassault Rafale F4 fighters, a 4.5-generation aircraft that will form the future backbone of the force. This deal diversifies the UAE's combat fleet and provides advanced capabilities in electronic warfare and stand-off munitions. The UAE has also shown interest in 5th-generation technology, although a deal to acquire the F-35 from the US has stalled. Partnerships with countries like South Korea on future fighter projects indicate a long-term strategy to maintain technological superiority and reduce dependency on a single supplier.

Origin countries of aircrafts

Country Active Aircraft
🇺🇸 United States 322
🇫🇷 France 97
🇨🇭 Switzerland 56
🇬🇧 United Kingdom 24
🇨🇦 Canada 22
🇩🇪 Germany 20
🇮🇹 Italy 14
🇪🇸 Spain 9
🇮🇩 Indonesia 9
🇪🇺 Europe 4
🇨🇳 China 2
🇵🇰 Pakistan 1
🇹🇷 Turkey 0

Evolution of Emirati Air Force fleet

Aircrafts by type in 2025

Aircraft type Active
Helicopter Helicopter 247
Combat Combat 151
Training Training 86
Transport Transport 64
Other Other 3

Full inventory in 2025

United Arab Emirates Air Force

Aircraft Type Model Origin Country Model Year Active 𝚫 YoY Ordered
CombatCombat F-16E 🇺🇸 1979 55
0
0
CombatCombat Mirage 2000-9/EAD/RAD 🇫🇷 1983 44
0
0
CombatCombat F-16F 🇺🇸 1979 21
0
0
CombatCombat AT-802 🇺🇸 1991 16
-2
0
CombatCombat Mirage 2000-9DAD 🇫🇷 1983 15
0
0
CombatCombat Rafale 🇫🇷 2001 0
0
80
CombatCombat F-35A 🇺🇸 2013 0
0
50
CombatCombat B-250 🇹🇷 2018 0
0
40
HelicopterHelicopter Bell 407 🇺🇸 1967 14
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Bell 505 🇺🇸 2017 12
0
2
HelicopterHelicopter AW139 🇬🇧 🇮🇹 2003 8
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Bell 412 🇺🇸 1959 4
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter H125M/AS350/550 🇫🇷 1990 2
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter H125M/AS350 🇫🇷 1990 1
0
0
TransportTransport C295/CN235 🇪🇸 🇮🇩 2001 9
0
0
TransportTransport C-130H/L-100 🇺🇸 1956 8
0
0
TransportTransport C-17 🇺🇸 1993 8
0
0
TransportTransport Global 6000 🇨🇦 1999 7
+2
0
TransportTransport A330 MRTT 🇪🇺 1994 4
+1
1
TransportTransport Challenger 650 🇨🇦 1980 2
0
0
TransportTransport DHC-6 🇨🇦 1966 1
0
0
TransportTransport Kodiak 100 🇺🇸 2008 1
0
0
TransportTransport P-750 🇵🇰 2001 1
0
0
TrainingTraining PC-7 🇨🇭 1978 31
0
0
TrainingTraining PC-21 🇨🇭 2008 25
0
0
TrainingTraining G115 🇩🇪 1999 12
0
0
TrainingTraining Hawk 102 🇬🇧 1976 12
0
0
TrainingTraining L-15 🇨🇳 2013 2
+2
46
TrainingTraining Dash 8 🇨🇦 1984 2
0
0
TrainingTraining P180 🇮🇹 1990 2
0
0
OtherOther King Air 90 🇺🇸 1964 3
0
0

United Arab Emirates Joint Air Command

Aircraft Type Model Origin Country Model Year Active 𝚫 YoY Ordered
HelicopterHelicopter S-70/UH-60L/M 🇺🇸 1979 80
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter AH-64D/E 🇺🇸 1984 30
0
39
HelicopterHelicopter Bell 407 🇺🇸 1967 29
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter CH-47C+/F 🇺🇸 1962 28
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter H125M/AS350/550 🇫🇷 1990 15
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter AS565 🇫🇷 1990 12
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter H215M/AS332 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 1978 8
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter AW139 🇬🇧 🇮🇹 2003 4
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter AW609 🇮🇹 🇺🇸 2020 0
0
3
TransportTransport Cessna 208 🇺🇸 1984 13
0
0
TransportTransport DHC-6 🇨🇦 1966 10
0
0
Various public data, including Wikipedia, Flightglobal.com, SIPRI Arms Transfer and official government websites.