Gulf nation poised to lead region in production of unmanned aircraft.

• Author: Tiron, Roxana

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates--Amid heightened security risks in the Persian Gulf region, this nation's military is pushing aggressively to develop its own surveillance and reconnaissance assets.

Crown Prince General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who serves as deputy supreme commander of the armed forces, recently launched an unmanned aerial vehicles program, not only to modernize the country's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, but also to enable the UAE to design, manufacture and integrate unmanned systems locally.

"UAVs are an integral part of any efficient combat force," Maj. Gen. Khalid Al-Bu Ainnain, commander of the UAE air force and air defense, told National Defense. "It is not a choice anymore."

In the case of the UAE, a small but wealthy country wedged between Saudi Arabia and Oman, "it is important to have early warning, surveillance, data gathering and targeting," Al-Bu Ainnain said in an interview during a military show in Abu Dhabi. "The UAVs are extremely important for homeland security."

The UAE uses unmanned aircraft and other collection systems, in conjunction with satellite imagery to conduct persistent monitoring of smuggling, border intrusions, other illegal activities, troop movements and military installations, officials said.

While the UAE sees unmanned aircraft as a huge benefit for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and targeting, it currently is not considering equipping the platforms with weapons, a trend that has taken off in the U.S. military. "Weaponizing the UAVs is not a goal for us," said Al-Bu Ainnain.

"The UAV is not meant to be armed," because whatever effect a small weapon mounted on a UAV would achieve, it still can't stop any possible ensuing military action, noted Al-Bu Ainnain. "It does not change the war," he said. UAVs also become extremely vulnerable, because they have to fly low to shoot the weapon, he asserted.

UAE has had extensive experience with unmanned systems, he said. The air force, for example, has been using the South African Seeker system, which was developed by Denel, for more than 14 years, and has "an excellent experience," said Al-Bu Ainnain.

"UAVs have become a mandatory development technology," he stressed. Therefore, in 2004, the UAE military established a UAV research and technology center under the guidance of the air force. The center, located in UAE's capital Abu Dhabi, promotes international cooperation in the development of systems--thus...