Realistic military exercise mesmerises Abu Dhabi residents

45-minute simulation showcases advanced equipment and skills of the Armed Forces

Athrilling live military display captivated thousands of spectators gathered at the Abu Dhabi Corniche yesterday when the UAE Armed Forces displayed their tactical capabilities.

The demonstration titled Union Fortress, a sophisticated seaborne hostage rescue mission, showed the skills of multiple wings of the UAE Armed Forces including the Presidential Guard ground force, the Joint Aviation Command, the UAE Navy, the UAE Air Force, the Air Defence and the Army.

The UAE Armed Forces have been involved in international peacekeeping missions since 1976, and have taken up many successful initiatives under the leadership of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Shaikh Mohammad along with other shaikhs and top officials watched the show.

The mock rescue mission began at 4.30pm when the UAE’s Armed Forces detected the presence of an ‘enemy’ ship that had ‘captured’ UAE troops. Immediately, action was initiated to ‘rescue’ the hostages.

Freefall jumpers executed parachute jumps to land on the ‘enemy’ ship, while scuba divers from a UAE military submarine approached the ship. Meanwhile, troops on the nearby beach fired at the vessel.

Forces ‘eliminated’

Then, bell helicopters and a Blackhawk helicopter approached the ship and ‘eliminated’ enemy forces on board. The UAE’s hostages were then ‘rescued’ from the vessel.

A number of seaborne vessels carrying Al Forsan Platoon troops and two Apache helicopters then launched a beach assault in two different locations. Suddenly, ‘enemy’ forces on the opposite side of the beach began shooting at the UAE’s Air Defence. When snipers on the UAE helicopters neutralised the ‘enemy’, more ‘enemy’ forces on the beach began shooting at the ship.

This brought out the UAE’s ground troops in sophisticated military vehicles, and they launched another successful assault on the ‘enemy’ forces. Meanwhile, bombs were dropped by F16 and Mirage fighter jets on an ‘enemy’ boat approaching UAE forces.

The UAE Armed Forces then intensified their defence and brought in a Navy Corvette ship to assist in the evacuation of the UAE troops. At the same time, a Blackhawk helicopter lowered a basket to airlift the ‘hostages’ and soldiers and transported them to safety.

The entire mission was monitored by the airforce, which eventually launched a display of their skills while UAE soldiers and free-fall jumpers were retrieved from the ‘enemy’ ship.

Air show

To conclude the exercise, the aerial team put up a mini airshow drawing the colours of the UAE flag in the blue sky and capped it all with a ‘heart’ formation to symbolise the troops’ dedication and commitment to the nation.

The entire demonstration was realistic, and was accompanied by narration in Arabic.

Hundreds of residents, including children of all ages, gathered along the Corniche to witness the demo, and crowds thronged the areas with food outlets throughout the demonstration. The crowds were especially heavy at the designated vantage points, which had large screens to provide live feeds for attendees. Despite a light drizzle and low visibility due to hazy weather, the enthusiasm at the Corniche was high, and many visitors filmed the captivating show.

Afterwards, many visitors joined in an impassioned rendition of patriotic songs.