UAE overseas military presence
The United Arab Emirates has projected military power well beyond its own borders, concentrated around the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Gulf of Aden, Yemen and the Horn of Africa. This footprint took shape largely through the UAE's involvement in the Yemen war and its wider effort to secure the maritime approaches around the Arabian Peninsula.
Not every UAE-linked site is the same kind of presence
UAE involvement abroad is not uniform. Some sites are genuine UAE-operated military bases; others are local, host-country facilities that the UAE funds, trains or equips without operating them directly; and some are former UAE positions that have since been withdrawn from or repurposed. Each guide below states which of these applies, and how confidently that status is documented.
- UAE-operated military base ≠ UAE-funded facility
- UAE military support ≠ UAE military base
- Host-country facility with UAE assistance ≠ UAE base
Bases
Mayun Airbase (Perim)
UAE-linked military airbase in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
Read Guide →Assab Base
Former UAE military and logistics base on Eritrea's Red Sea coast, active c. 2015–2021.
Read Guide →Berbera Base
Former UAE military base in Somaliland on the Gulf of Aden; current military-use status disputed.
Read Guide →Bosaso Facility (PMPF)
UAE-backed military facility in Puntland, Somalia, tied to the Puntland Maritime Police Force.
Read Guide →