Vehicles
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Conceived as an international center of oil luxury, the Gulf state of the United Arab Emirates is not often seen as a military power. But since the early 2000s, in a time in which the population has tripled in size and the GDP quadrupled to more than US$400 billion, the military has also largely expanded. By 2020, defense spending had increased to more than 5% of the GDP, while defense industries that have recently settled in the UAE made the small country the fifth largest exporter of arms. These exports include many light armored vehicles, produced by a wide array of commercial manufacturers. This has allowed the UAE to become an increasingly more prevalent player in foreign military involvement, not the least seen in Libya, Yemen (including Socotra Island), and Somalia.
The UAE entered the post-Cold War era with 36 OF-40 Mk.2 main battle tanks. Unhappy with the performance, larger orders followed for the French Leclerc MBT instead, with 436 being delivered. The OF-40 was later withdrawn from frontline service, but they are possibly still in storage. In early 2023, an upgrade program for the Leclerc was announced to be worked on by Nexter and IGG (International Golden Group).
Throughout the 1990s, the UAE received up to 652 BMP-3 IFVs from Russia, becoming the main infantry combat vehicle of the army. In 2016, the Turkish company Otokar and Emirati company Al Jasoor (joint company between Otokar UAE [49%] and Tawazun Holdings [51%]) developed the new 8×8 Rabdan ACV, based on the Otokar Arma design. It was designed to replace the BMP-3 in service. At least 400 out of an expected 700 Rabdans have been delivered.
In 1993, 78 G6 wheeled self-propelled howitzers were acquired from South Africa which were joined by 85 second-hand but revised M109 howitzers from the Netherlands in 1999. Furthermore, 133-136 tracked FNSS ACV-15 (AIFV) were received from Turkiye in 2000. In the early 2000s, the UAE Marines received 80-90 wheeled BTR-3U Guardian IFVs from Ukraine. Another special purchase was made in Germany for 32 Fuchs-2 NBC reconnaissance vehicles.
In 2008, Finnish Patria received an order for an evaluation batch of 15 8×8 AMVs. This was followed by a second order for 40 vehicles in 2016. In terms of light armored vehicles and MRAPs, large numbers of Nimr Ajban, Nimr Hafeet, Nimr Jais, HMMWV, International Maxxpro, Oshkosh M-ATV, BAE Caiman, and RG-31 Nyalas are operated.
Some armored oddities include 10 Krauss-Maffei/Iveco Terrier Light Armoured Units that were ordered for the police in 2000, four Leopard 2-based Wisent 2 AEVs that were ordered in 2016, and RG-12s, among others.
Already in the 2000s but increasingly during the 2010s, the armored vehicle industry expanded dramatically with many foreign manufacturers establishing themselves in the UAE, either expanding existing business or founding completely new companies. Close to all companies claim to be the leading experts in the field of armor solutions, which raises the question who is following when all are leading. Most of the new companies were established in the Dubai Investments Park (DIP) which is solely owned by Dubai Investments PJSC. As to why there was a sudden surge in the establishment of armored vehicle manufacturers in the region, it was stated by the CEO of armored vehicle manufacturer Inkas that “DIP offers a unique infrastructure that is tailored for the armored vehicles industry.” Indeed, DIP has several advantages, including good logistics, manufacturing and storage facilities, and close proximity to Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport. This is coupled with the fact that demand for these smaller armored vehicles mostly comes from Africa, the Middle East, and Southeastern Asia, a broad region in which the UAE lies geographically in the center.
A relative elaborate list of examples of these companies includes Mezcal, Harrow Security Vehicles, JFK Defense, Dazzle UAE, Schutzcarr, Emirates Special Vehicles, Streit Group, Minerva Special Purpose Vehicles, Shell Special Vehicles, Saxon Armor, Dynamic Defence Solutions, Resource Industries and Armoured Solutions, Isotrex, Mobile Land Systems, Nimr, IAG, Calidus, Mahindra Emirates Vehicle Armoring, Inkas Vehicles LLC, Ares Security Vehicles, Tenet Armored Vehicles, and Al Asbar Auto Industries LLC.