Since taking up his role as Minister of Defence two years ago, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, has led a broad drive to strengthen the UAE’s defence capabilities, support national military industries and prepare qualified Emirati talent to continue a path of excellence that safeguards the nation’s security and preserves its gains.
His efforts have continued to focus on reinforcing the national defence system through a vision centred on readiness, capability development and investment in national expertise, in line with the wise leadership’s ambitions to build a modern defence institution able to respond to future challenges and contribute to protecting the state’s achievements and maintaining its security and stability.
Institutional performance and readiness
Sheikh Hamdan has chaired a series of strategic meetings of the Defence Council, aimed at strengthening coordination across the Ministry of Defence, improving institutional performance and accelerating the development of military systems, while keeping pace with rapid advances in defence technology and military innovation.
He has stressed the importance of working as one team and unifying efforts to achieve national goals in security and defence.
His work has not been limited to administrative oversight. It has also included direct field follow-up through visits to several military units and facilities to review readiness levels, equipment and training and qualification programmes.
Those visits included Zayed Military City, the 11th Mountain Infantry Battalion, the Reserve Forces Command, Al Dhafra Air Base and the National Defence College, where he reviewed programmes preparing military and strategic leaders, stressing the importance of building national cadres with leadership vision and the ability to anticipate future challenges.
Supporting national defence industries
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed has shown particular interest in supporting the UAE’s national defence industries, most notably during his visit to Dubai Airshow, where he reviewed the latest Emirati military products, including the light combat aircraft Kaldus B-250. He praised the progress made by national industries, saying it strengthens the sector’s independence and increases its global competitiveness.
As part of his focus on developing human capital, he also attended several military graduation ceremonies, including those of Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Naval College, Zayed II Military College and the Joint Command and Staff College, in addition to the graduation of the second cohort of cadets from Zayed University Military College. He also attended specialised displays by National Service recruits, underlining that investment in the Emirati person is the foundation on which the strength of the armed forces and the sustainability of their excellence are built.
Key national occasions
Sheikh Hamdan also took part in major national military occasions, including the celebration of the 49th anniversary of the unification of the UAE Armed Forces, the conclusion of the joint military exercise Desert Flag 10, and a meeting with National and Reserve Service personnel as part of the “Elite” programme, reflecting the leadership’s keenness to entrench values of belonging, discipline and excellence.
These efforts embody an integrated vision for developing the UAE’s defence system, based on modernising capabilities, strengthening national industries and preparing qualified personnel. In doing so, they reinforce the standing of the UAE Armed Forces as a model of efficiency and professionalism, and enhance the UAE’s position as a global example of security, stability and sustainable development.