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.
