Amid threats from Iranian-origin drones and missiles, the UAE deploys its first Indian-Israeli missile defence system

According to Haaretz, the United Arab Emirates had set up the Barak-8 aerial defence system to protect itself from drones and missiles with Iranian origins. The missile battery is stationed nearby the Al-Dhafra airbase, south of Abu-Dhabi.

Days after Breaking Defense reported that the first battery of the Barak-8 had already been deployed to the UAE, reports verifying deployment have just surfaced.

The magazine was informed at the time by an unnamed defence source that the deal for Barak-8 systems would be very large. To protect some important locations where missiles have frequently struck, the Emiratis need numerous of these.

The Barak-8 was developed jointly by Israel’s Ministry of Defense and India’s DRDO. The Barak-8 can intercept aircraft, low-flying anti-ship and cruise missiles, and stealthy targets with a range of roughly 70 kilometers.

The UAE’s deployment is a significant step because the Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran, have attacked military facilities and crucial infrastructure in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including ports (air and sea), oil storage facilities, and ships in the Gulf of Aden.

Three foreign workers were killed and gasoline trucks were set on fire as a result of the strikes that occurred on January 17 of this year at an industrial area outside of Abu Dhabi.

Later that month, according to media sources, the UAE had ‘quietly and unofficially inquired about Israel purchasing missile defence systems to help shield it against Houthi missile assaults.’

While Barak-8 was picked first, Israel reportedly later agreed to sell the United Arab Emirates its SPYDER air defense system. EurAsian Times had reported that Abu Dhabi contemplated employing Israeli weapons as a stopgap measure before acquiring a South Korean surface-to-air missile system in 2024.

On January 16, a contract for South Korean Cheongung II KM-SAM weapons was inked.

The American Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors are already in use by the UAE. Nevertheless, several low-flying drones and missiles that damaged UAE assets went undetected.

This is where the SPYDER and the Israeli Barak-8 enter the picture. It is important to note that both systems are deployed by the Indian military.