Al Bhatti
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August 19, 2015
Major General Abdullah Al Hashimi, the Ministry of Defence’s executive director of strategic analysis, announces the upcoming Dubai International Air Chief’s Conference, which will focus on how air forces must evolve to meet battlefield changes.
An F-16 of the UAE Armed Forces taking off from an air force base in Jordan.
UAE’s air force must adapt to tackle evolving threats
Boosting the effectiveness of the UAE’s military air power and its ability to deal with changing and emerging threats around the region will be discussed at this year’s Dubai Air Chiefs Conference.
Major General Abdullah Al Hashimi, the Ministry of Defence’s executive director of strategic analysis, said the conference will focus on how air forces must evolve to meet changes on the battlefield.
“I think what the region is going through right now is important,” he said while announcing details of the November event.
“The opinions and ideas we will hear from chiefs of air forces, executives of companies and decision-makers who can make a difference in the future will be relevant and important to us.”
With regional threats evolving, Maj Gen Al Hashimi said air power needed to become more effective.
“In the liberation of Kuwait it [air power] was the decisive power because it was fighting against a military [force] and you could [see] your enemy,” he said.
“Right now, it has been hurting the enemy, such as ISIS or the Houthis. It has been effective but not decisive because the enemy is different, it is not a force that you can see and strike.”
He said that this difference required the UAE to come up with ideas to improve its air force capability.
“In this air show, we are trying to [find] the solutions or how we can make the air force more efficient,” said Maj Gen Al Hashimi, who has been a pilot for 35 years.
“The enemy now uses humans as shields, they go into the cities, they are no longer a tank, you are fighting a different army and a terrorist who is willing to kill anybody so you cannot strike in a city and kill innocent people.
“This is why we need to be more precise when dealing with the target.”
Building strong links between government and industry for the progression of air power is of huge importance said Mahmood Sharif Mahmood, adviser and acting head of research and consultancy at the Institute of Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, a Dubai-based think tank.
“It is vital to build capabilities at air force level because we live in a volatile environment,” he said. “It is important for us to develop links with the industry and have the industrial military base here in the UAE because sustaining the defence industry and providing security for the nation is crucial.”
He said that a strategic plan for creating such a base while forging alliances was needed.
“Security is a major concern,” he said. “We are living in a very volatile and dynamic threat environment. You never know where the next threat will come from and things have changed since the Arab Spring.”
The conference, to take place on November 7, will tackle the development of an effective coalition force, shaping the battlespace and preparing coalition ready airmen through training.
“The UAE is living in a very unstable era but it is a country that learns what needs to be done and what technology is required,” said Maj Gen Al Hashimi.
“We participated in many peacekeeping missions –and today in restoring Yemen – so it is relevant to every country for us to seek the best and make sure that people live in peace.”
UAEâs air force must adapt to tackle evolving threats | The National
Major General Abdullah Al Hashimi, the Ministry of Defence’s executive director of strategic analysis, announces the upcoming Dubai International Air Chief’s Conference, which will focus on how air forces must evolve to meet battlefield changes.
An F-16 of the UAE Armed Forces taking off from an air force base in Jordan.
UAE’s air force must adapt to tackle evolving threats
Boosting the effectiveness of the UAE’s military air power and its ability to deal with changing and emerging threats around the region will be discussed at this year’s Dubai Air Chiefs Conference.
Major General Abdullah Al Hashimi, the Ministry of Defence’s executive director of strategic analysis, said the conference will focus on how air forces must evolve to meet changes on the battlefield.
“I think what the region is going through right now is important,” he said while announcing details of the November event.
“The opinions and ideas we will hear from chiefs of air forces, executives of companies and decision-makers who can make a difference in the future will be relevant and important to us.”
With regional threats evolving, Maj Gen Al Hashimi said air power needed to become more effective.
“In the liberation of Kuwait it [air power] was the decisive power because it was fighting against a military [force] and you could [see] your enemy,” he said.
“Right now, it has been hurting the enemy, such as ISIS or the Houthis. It has been effective but not decisive because the enemy is different, it is not a force that you can see and strike.”
He said that this difference required the UAE to come up with ideas to improve its air force capability.
“In this air show, we are trying to [find] the solutions or how we can make the air force more efficient,” said Maj Gen Al Hashimi, who has been a pilot for 35 years.
“The enemy now uses humans as shields, they go into the cities, they are no longer a tank, you are fighting a different army and a terrorist who is willing to kill anybody so you cannot strike in a city and kill innocent people.
“This is why we need to be more precise when dealing with the target.”
Building strong links between government and industry for the progression of air power is of huge importance said Mahmood Sharif Mahmood, adviser and acting head of research and consultancy at the Institute of Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, a Dubai-based think tank.
“It is vital to build capabilities at air force level because we live in a volatile environment,” he said. “It is important for us to develop links with the industry and have the industrial military base here in the UAE because sustaining the defence industry and providing security for the nation is crucial.”
He said that a strategic plan for creating such a base while forging alliances was needed.
“Security is a major concern,” he said. “We are living in a very volatile and dynamic threat environment. You never know where the next threat will come from and things have changed since the Arab Spring.”
The conference, to take place on November 7, will tackle the development of an effective coalition force, shaping the battlespace and preparing coalition ready airmen through training.
“The UAE is living in a very unstable era but it is a country that learns what needs to be done and what technology is required,” said Maj Gen Al Hashimi.
“We participated in many peacekeeping missions –and today in restoring Yemen – so it is relevant to every country for us to seek the best and make sure that people live in peace.”
UAEâs air force must adapt to tackle evolving threats | The National
