The Most Powerful Army That You've Never Heard Of

[ozzy22]

It really doesn't take much for people on this forum to start throwing insults.
For the country of its size and population it does pack a powerful punch, and for the title heading it isn't unknown for newspapers to use language like that to draw in readers.

 

[VCheng]

The title is a bit sensationalist from the Business Insider. The UAE is improving into a well equipped military force that will eventually form into a strong well knit unit. They might be able to compete with Israel in the sense that their military model may mirror that of Israel.. however the Israelis are a very well established, well led.. and generally well trained(with varying morale among the conscripts) and have a strong military history to back them up with a big foundation The old adage of troop strength is NOT the appropriate gauge for the 21st century.

Today's military is measured in equipment and sophistication of equipment along with training. Within that contrast the UAEAF for e.g. is much better equipped than the Iranians through and through.

Has UAE fought any major land wars?

 

[Falcon29]

I think the best way to evaluate an army is to see it in a war, other things, especially equipment may become irrelevant with low morale, bad training and etc, as in the case of IS offensive in Iraq. So UAE may have fancy equipment, but we can only judge on their military might in a possible war scenario, and that's the case for every single army in the world.

I agree with this in the aspect of ground warfare/tactics/coordination. But nowadays it seems you can develop a potent Air Force that can be very effective without needing exceptional performance from your ground forces depending on objectives. As with the US/Israeli armies, air support is extremely heavy. I would definitely rate US army more capable of urban warfare than Israeli army. Israeli army can't advance on the ground without breaking every law of war. So that would imply carpet bombing/extremely disproportionate indiscriminate artillery shelling makes an army competent which I disagree with. Some armies can't achieve their objectives without breaking every law of war and the side which fends off that ground invasion combined with enormous air support in my opinion deserve a lot of credit as they take heavy roles on their shoulders.

 

[al-Hasani]

Has UAE fought any major land wars?

No, but they have taken part in the Gulf War and the War in Afghanistan. The UAE has had absolutely no need to go to war with anyone. Instead that country, very wisely, has focused on economic growth, reforms and making a name for themselves which they have succeeded in very much so compared to what the situation was just 100 years ago where that part of Eastern Arabia was largely secluded and not very important outside of sea trade, pearls. While you had important centers such as Kuwait, Eastern Province, Bahrain and especially Oman (back then a colonial power) next door.

Regardless of the UAE being blessed with natural resources just like hundreds of other countries what they have done is very impressive.

UAE as I said is the 30-29th biggest economy for instance and there are many more countries (not their fault) that have much more natural resources, much bigger populations etc. but are not even near UAE's level or near to being as successful.

Which is why UAE is internationally recognized as being a country that punches way above their weight. And nowadays the vast majority of UAE's income has nothing to do with oil and gas.

So let the haters here cry.

 

[VCheng]

No, but they have taken part in the Gulf War and the War in Afghanistan. The UAE has had absolutely no need to go to war with anyone. Instead that country, very wisely, has focused on economic growth, reforms and making a name for themselves which they have succeeded in very much so compared to what the situation was just 100 years ago where that part of Eastern Arabia was largely secluded and not very important outside of sea trade, pearls. While you have important centers such as Kuwait, Eastern Province, Bahrain and especially Oman (back then a colonial power) next door.

Regardless of the UAE being blessed with natural resources just like hundreds of other countries what they have done is very impressive.

UAE as I said is the 30-29th biggest economy for instance and there are many more countries that have much more natural resources, much bigger populations etc. but are not even near UAE's level or near being as successful.

Which is why UAE is internationally recognized as being a country that punches way above their weight. And nowadays the vast majority of UAE's income has nothing to do with oil and gas.

So let the haters here cry.

I agree with the wisdom of concentrating on being an economic power rather than a military one.

 

[atatwolf]

Head to head without US support, do you think they could win from ISIS?

 

[al-Hasani]

I agree with the wisdom of concentrating on being an economic power rather than a military one.

UAE cannot magically become 20 times bigger although area wise it is not that small again (116th biggest country out of about 200 countries in total) nor get a population of 100 million suddenly unless the Arab population of UAE takes bigamy and harems to a whole new level.

What they can do is punching above their weight which they also do excellently. As @500 wrote then their air force and army in terms of logistics is in the top 20 which is very impressive. Experience is also something that you can gain by doing drills with the most foremost armies (which UAE is also doing regularly just like the remaining GCC) but it is correct that there is nothing as valuable as actual wars "to train in" but only idiots would want wars to take priority over economic and social development. The key to everything is economic power and the GCC is a titan on that front.

In terms of military then a potent air force is the key in the region and here again GCC is head and shoulders above most countries.

Anyway the UAE is part of the GCC. You cannot look at that country with "isolated glasses" so to speak.

 

[Guynextdoor2]

It really doesn't take much for people on this forum to start throwing insults.
For the country of its size and population it does pack a powerful punch, and for the title heading it isn't unknown for newspapers to use language like that to draw in readers.

It's their tarck record. The impression is that in real wars they go to America, Pakistan etc. Let's face it, if they were that powerful they'd have made Iraq go on it's knees. India could do that.

 

[al-Hasani]

@Oscar

You are very welcome to ban me. As long as the rules are applied in a similar fashion. Leaving obvious troll posts and not deleting them and then wondering why I am replying to them (after reporting those posts without there being any action taken) is asking for much.

When I ask other senior members of the moderation team (read Webby and the Admin and practically every other moderator) to deal with such trolling from the usual suspects they are doing it not because I say so (LOL) but because I am actually right most of the time if not always whenever I ask moderators to deal with trolling. Otherwise they would not be doing it….

Also don't blame me for getting a biased impression of you (based on dozens of posts by you) when it comes to Arabs.

P.S: Nor were I the one that started the trolling or insults. In fact I posted an interesting thread to have a interesting discussion in a section that is otherwise relatively troll-free. Yet I am to blame apparently.

I am a frank person. Speaking my opinion and not sugarcoating anything when it comes to opinions. I like people who act similarly. That they have a different opinion than me does not matter here.

 

[Mugwop]

Most powerful or weak,The Arabs will fight back if a foreign force tries to pitch tents on their land.What they won't do is spam or boast on forums.They will fight back in person.

@al-Hasani
The army is good but I'd say they need to work more on their navy for projection power. What would you recommend?

 

[500]

What they can do is punching above their weight which they also do excellently. As @500 wrote then their air force and army in terms of logistics is in the top 20 which is very impressive.

Not just the logistics, but quantuty and quality of their equipment:

22 top airforces (based on plane quality and quantity).
42 top tank fleets based on quality and quantity

I agree. In general the whole GCC has poor navies compared to their air forces and armies.

I always wondered why both UAE and KSA ignore the subs.

I would definitely rate US army more capable of urban warfare than Israeli army. Israeli army can't advance on the ground without breaking every law of war.

During the siege of Fallujah US army used illegal incendiary rounds M110, something the Israeli army never used.

 

[ChennaiDude]

Are there not multiple ethnicities within Arabs themselves? And why the off topic post when you could just report it?
You are like someone who cried wolf after being one themselves. That will only have you boxed in with those getting off topic warnings.

Thankyou!

 

[al-Hasani]

Most powerful or weak,The Arabs will fight back if a foreign force tries to pitch tents on their land.What they won't do is spam or boast on forums.They will fight back in person.

@al-Hasani
The army is good but I'd say they need to work more on their navy for projection power. What would you recommend?

Well, dozens of people have realized that by now. Some learned it the hard way.

But I do not think that anybody is stupid enough to attack UAE. A country that has no real hostilities with any country. Even nearby Iran although there are some land disputes over a few small relatively insignificant islands. Hell, one of the biggest Farsi diasporas exists in the UAE.

In general the whole GCC has relatively poor if not outright poor navies compared to their air forces and armies. Which is quite absurd if you ask me as the Arabian Peninsula is a peninsula (the largest in the world in fact) and borders the tropical Red Sea, Gulf, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and has access to the Mediterranean Sea nearby and Indian Ocean.

It's something that the entire GCC is working on. See this thread for more information.

GCC Naval Group To Focus on Coastal Threats

Navy purchases done by the UAE and other GCC states is something that is mutually discussed in the GCC. The GCC has decided to seriously improve their navy capabilities and I am hoping that they will do it jointly and in a coordinated fashion.

But they should not go overboard either. Especially the smaller GCC countries as a few more frigates or corvettes are not going to make a big difference if they are facing bigger enemies. If seen in the context of GCC they would make a difference though.

I am not sure. A few dozen fast attack crafts, a few corvettes and frigates as well. I could give you a lot of names now but it would be pointless.

What is certain is that the GCC states need to improve their navies and that's also going to happen. Hence all the rumors of submarine purchases etc. We can only wait and see.

Not just the logistics, but quantuty and quality of their equipment:

22 top airforces (based on plane quality and quantity).
42 top tank fleets based on quality and quantity


I always wondered why both UAE and KSA ignore the subs.

Well, of course. The quantity and quality was just so obvious that there was no need to mention it. On that front the only thing that is left to be seen is how they would perform in a actual war and for how long they could withstand a war on their own before needing outside help.

Well, so have I for years. I have written on that subject extensively on PDF as I like navies personally and consider it a crime (almost) to have such poor navies (relatively speaking) when you live on a Peninsula and are surrounded by seas whenever you look. There is a big disproportion between the air force and army here. Which would be a problem in a all-out or prolonged conflict.

Anyway that weakness is not going to last long. See my link at the top of this post.

 

[Bubblegum Crisis]

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I always wondered why both UAE and KSA ignore the subs.

...

Patience…

Continue... See all old links :

SMX Ocean will be the future KSA submarine ?

UAE Considering a Submarine Capability

...

 

[ChennaiDude]

Head to head without US support, do you think they could win from ISIS?

Nope!...Not a chance.