24 May 2023; MEMO: The ground forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States launched the Iron Union 19 joint military exercise, the UAE Defence Ministry said on Twitter.
The UAE ministry said the exercise is being carried out on UAE soil, and aims to develop joint cooperation and coordination between the two sides, and raise combat readiness to reach professionalism in carrying out tasks.
The annual exercise usually lasts more than a week, with the aim of exchanging military expertise to raise efficiency and combat readiness and strengthen relations between Washington and Abu Dhabi.
The UAE regularly carries out joint military exercises with various countries aimed at enhancing its experience and combat readiness.
In March, the UAE Ground Forces and the US Army conducted a joint military exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Centre (JRTC) in Louisiana, USA.
The UAE ranks second in the list of the most powerful Gulf armies, and 56th in the global ranking, while its defence budget is estimated at more than $23 billion, according to the Global Fire Power website, which specialises in military affairs for the year 2023.
The UAE army consists of 65,000 soldiers, has more than 522 various military aircraft, 434 tanks and 8,750 armoured military vehicles.
