DUBAI, 10 December 2003, 10 December 2003 — A military air flight training center, being set up here jointly by the US, Britain and France with the UAE, could eventually lead to joint exercises by Egypt and Jordan.
The Air Warfare Center at Al-Dhafra Air Base will be owned and run by the UAE government, Maj. David Halla, a US Air Force official, told news agencies at Dubai’s eighth air show.
“Obviously these would be coalition-type operations, where people have to speak the same language, but it is up to the Emiratis to invite other countries to the academy,” AFP quoted Maj. Halla as saying.
He said the United States, Britain and France would all take part in any joint air exercises taking place at the center in the future. Maj. Halla declined to provide any details on the cost of the center or when it will be launched.
“This information is off-limits as per our agreement with our host (UAE),” said Gary Arasin, public affairs officer for the US military at the Dubai event, which he said was “the largest US participation ever at any air trade show.”
Maj. Halla said the UAE Air Force pilots were “very good,” adding that “the Jordanians are pretty strong as well.”
He said the UAE’s plans for the air training center and its regional vision are not part of any “offensive initiative.”
“They have a pretty defensive mindset, they are not threatening anyone,” said Maj. Halla, adding, “You can draw your conclusions from that.”
“They (Emiratis) are trying to be a world player and they are doing a good job at it.”
Maj. Halla, who is based at Dhafra and directly involved in setting up the training facility, is at the show coordinating flight displays by the pride of US fighter jets such as the F-117 Stealth, the F-14 and the latest F-16 variant, the Block 60.
In 2000, the UAE bought 80 F-16s, 25 of which are two-seaters, at an estimated cost of about $3 billion, according to Maj. Halla.
He said the first batch of the reconfigured F-16s will be delivered to the UAE in November 2005 and Emirati pilots have been training to fly the jets for the past two years in Arizona.
“A French guy I am working with at the center told me that the UAE is getting the best airplanes,” said Maj Halla.
He said the special features of the Block 60 F-16s, dubbed the Desert Falcon by the Emiratis, includes a new engine with a thrust of 32,000 pounds (14,500 kg) as opposed to the 29,000-pound (13,150-kg) thrust on previous models.
