United Arab Emirates Navy Fleet Inventory 🇦🇪

The United Arab Emirates Navy, a branch of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, is a relatively small force comprising about 3,000 personnel. It operates 12 coastal patrol boats and eight missile boats, with a primary focus on coastal defense. The Navy's origins trace back to the Abu Dhabi Defence Force's Sea Wing, established in 1967, initially providing limited patrolling capabilities in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, including the protection of offshore oil and gas facilities.

The Navy's evolution continued with the formation of the UAE in 1971 and the unification of the UAE Armed Forces in 1976, leading to the expansion of naval facilities. The 1990s and 2000s saw further consolidation and structural changes, including the transfer of the UAE Coast Guard to Navy control in 2001, likely in response to concerns over potential terrorist attacks. This period also witnessed an expansion in the Navy's amphibious capabilities and the formation of the UAE Navy Marines, later merged with the UAE Presidential Guard.

In recent years, the UAE Navy has been active in the Yemen region due to the ongoing civil war there. Additionally, the Navy is constructing a class of blue water corvettes in collaboration with French shipbuilder CMN, and maintains a battalion-sized marine force equipped with BMP-3 armored personnel carriers from Russia.

Key facts

Official Name United Arab Emirates Navy
Country🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
World rank#22
Ships in service79 (as of 2024)
Total ships86
Naval ensign

Ensign of United Arab Emirates navy

Number of active ships by category

Ship category Active
Patrol boats 42
Amphibious ships 31
Corvettes 11
Mine Warfare ships 2

Detailed inventory of Emirati Navy

Amphibious ships

Type Class Ship Name Hull Number Status Year
Landing Craft Utility - (5 ships) Active -
- (4 ships) Active -
Landing ship tank - (7 ships) Active -
Al-Quwaisat (2 ships) Active -
Landing crafts Ghannatha (12 ships) Active -
Landing ship tank Al-Quwaisat Ordered -

Corvettes

Type Class Ship Name Hull Number Status Year
Corvette Abu Dhabi Active -
Baynunah (6 ships) Active -
Muray-Jib (2 ships) Active -
Gowind (2 ships) Ordered -

Mine Warfare ships

Type Class Ship Name Hull Number Status Year
Minehunter Frankenthal (2 ships) Active -

Patrol boats

Type Class Ship Name Hull Number Status Year
Patrol craft - (20 ships) Active -
Ardhana (6 ships) Active -
Offshore patrol vessel Arialah (2 ships) Active -
Fast attack craft Ban-Yas (6 ships) Active -
Offshore patrol vessel Falaj 2 (2 ships) Active -
Fast attack craft Mubarraz (2 ships) Active -
Offshore patrol vessel Falaj 3 (4 ships) Ordered -