UAE in joint air exercises with RAF

DUBAI // The UAE has carried out joint training exercises with the UK’s Royal Air Force.

Called Shaheen Star, the exercises were flown from Al Minhad Air Base, where UAE jet pilots trained alongside teams from the RAF.

Air Commodore Philip Beach, the RAF’s most senior commander in the Middle East and Afghanistan, said both services gained greatly from a strong friendship.

“It’s been a genuine pleasure to work again with our UAE allies during exercise Shaheen Star, which has become an important training fixture for both the RAF and the UAE Air Force,” Air Commodore Beach said.

“Our Emirati colleagues’ hospitality and hard work have been impressive and we look forward to continuing to build on our friendship for the future.”

He said the friendship between the countries played an important role in assuring the UK’s allies throughout the region of its commitment to security here.

The UK team involved Tornado GR4s as well as C-17 Globemaster transporters and a Voyager tanker aircraft.

The training was held with UAE jet pilots “and other regional allies”, a statement said.

The exercise ended with an official visit by UAE officials to the airbase, where an expeditionary wing of the RAF is based.

The visit opened with a flying display from the UAE’s elite Al Fursan aerobatics team.

It ended with a flight over the UAE on a RAF Voyager, during which the aircraft was escorted by a GR4 before flying past some of Dubai’s most famous landmarks.

newsdesk@thenational.ae