UAE, US strengthen defence partnership

The UAE and the US have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to establish a comprehensive defence partnership.

This represents a shared commitment to develop a structured roadmap for enhanced cooperation, joint capability development, and long-term defence alignment.

The two sides will explore a phased framework for advancing bilateral force readiness, interoperability and innovation-driven collaboration.

Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of State for Defence Affairs and Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary of Defence, signed the LOI in a formal ceremony at the UAE Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Abu Dhabi recently.

As part of this partnership, the two sides also announced a strategic initiative between the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the UAE’s Tawazun Council to facilitate joint research and development, and expand industrial and investment partnerships.

Additionally, the UAE was formally welcomed into the US National Guard State Partnership Programme (SPP) through a partnership with the Texas National Guard. 

This will bolster military modernisation efforts and enhance cooperation in integrated air and missile defence, cybersecurity, disaster response and operational planning.

وزارة الدفاع توقع خطاب نوايا مع الولايات المتحدة

أبوظبي، في أثناء مراسم رسمية أقيمت في مقر وزارة الدفاع بأبوظبي، وقع معالي محمد بن مبارك المزروعي، وزير الدولة لشؤون الدفاع بدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، ومعالي بيت هيغسيث، وزير الدفاع الأمريكي، خطاب نوايا بشأن إقامة شراكة… pic.twitter.com/XECRDo3zu6

— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) May 19, 2025