UAE and Israel unveil joint naval vessel as military ties grow

The United Arab Emirates and Israel have revealed their first jointly created unmanned vessel, illustrating their growing military ties as maritime threats rise in the Gulf region.

The craft, which has advanced sensors and imaging systems and can be used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and detecting mines, was unveiled off the coast of Abu Dhabi during the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX).

The unmanned surface vessel or USV was created by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Emirati defense consortium EDGE.

“We are for the first time demonstrating a mutual project that shows the capabilities and strengths of both companies” in securing coastlines and countering mine threats, said Oren Guter, who leads IAI’s naval programme.

IAI was looking to bolster cooperation with the UAE in air defense and hopes to help the wealthy Gulf state improve its naval capabilities, he said.

The UAE and Israel have steadily deepened their military partnership, including defense procurement since they normalized relations in 2020 as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords.

In January 2022, Israel’s defense electronics company Elbit Systems said its subsidiary in the UAE was awarded an approximately $53 million contract to supply systems to the UAE air force.