Australia arms UAE with missiles, deploys spy aircraft

Australia will send advanced missiles to the United Arab Emirates and deploy a surveillance aircraft to help protect airspace in the Gulf region amid rising tensions with Iran, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced.

Speaking on Tuesday, Albanese said the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) would dispatch an E-7A Wedgetail long-range surveillance aircraft along with support personnel to strengthen regional air defence operations, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.

The aircraft will help “protect and secure airspace above the Gulf” for the next four weeks, the prime minister said, adding that the deployment forms part of broader efforts to support the region’s collective self-defence.

In addition to the aircraft deployment, Australia will supply the United Arab Emirates with advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles. The decision was made following a phone conversation between Albanese and the UAE president.

Australian officials say the measures are intended to help Gulf partners defend themselves against potential aerial threats linked to the ongoing regional tensions involving Iran.

The Wedgetail aircraft is designed to detect and track airborne targets over long distances and coordinate responses between allied aircraft and air defence systems.

Canberra has increasingly strengthened defence cooperation with partners in the Middle East in recent years, particularly in areas such as intelligence sharing, surveillance and regional security.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada