The commander of the US Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, said the US recently decided to deploy F-22 Raptor aircraft to the UAE amid missile and drone attacks by Houthi rebels.
Last week, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Pentagon would deploy combat aircraft and the USS Cole guided missile destroyer to help the UAE fight regional threats.
"Over the next week or so, we will be bringing in a squadron of F-22 fighter jets, the best air superiority fighters in the world," McKenzie said in an interview with the Emirates News Agency. It will work alongside Emirates aircraft to help defend the country.”
Earlier, France said it would deploy its Rafale fighters in the UAE for aerial reconnaissance missions and to defend the country's airspace against threats from drones and missiles.
And French Defense Minister Florence Parly announced on Twitter that Paris would provide military support to protect Emirati airspace from intrusion. "The UAE was the victim of serious attacks on its soil in January," Parly wrote on Twitter.
France has a permanent military base in Abu Dhabi and maintains strong economic and political relations with it. Paris also signed a landmark deal with the United Arab Emirates and agreed to sell 80 Rafale combat aircraft to the Emirates in December, the largest export deal ever for any French company.
Israel, the only country to operate F-35s in the Middle East, has also provided security and intelligence support to the UAE. “We stand ready to provide security and intelligence support to the UAE in order to help it protect its citizens from similar attacks,” Bennett wrote. I have ordered the Israeli security establishment to provide any assistance to its counterparts in the UAE.”
Meanwhile, the US mission in the UAE issued a warning to Americans in the country about reports of new missile attacks or possible marches in Abu Dhabi.
The embassy said: “There are reports of a possible missile or drone attack on Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Embassy advises US citizens to immediately follow the safety procedures listed below and to remain alert in the event of future attacks.”
https://defenceaviationpost.com/f-2...jets-are-set-to-protect-the-uae-from-houthis/
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