According to some estimates, the number of American troops stationed at the Dhafra air base is 5,000 US troops. There is also a large US warship in the port of Jebel Ali.
In addition, there are Zayed and Rashid ports ready to receive American ships on their platforms. The Dhafra air base is important because of its strategic location in the Middle East. This led analysts to talk about how ease for the United States of America to strike any country in the Middle East.
According to a US site, the US embassy in the UAE has agreed with the UAE side to establish a combat unit called the “Interim Division 380” at Al Dhafra Air Force Base in the UAE.
Due to the security considerations of the current military operations carried out against the terrorist organization in Iraq and Syria, the full names of the employees in this base, their whereabouts and their names were not disclosed.
On the other hand, the American website pointed out that the UAE officials have tried to cover up the role of US bases in their country, stressing that there has been no announcement of the presence of US forces at the base of Dhafra, and this is the result of relations developed rapidly between the United States and the UAE.
Although US relations in the past decade with the Arab countries have seen a series of tensions, the alliance with the UAE is surprisingly strong, and has increased after the UAE’s participation in the war against a terrorist organization and the sharing of interests over the rise of extremism.
The US Air Force 380 was established because of the presence of US military forces in the UAE for more than 25 years. This base is the center of all combat operations carried out by US forces in the Middle East.
On the other hand, the American news site pointed out that the “380” is equipped with “K-10” aircraft to refuel and the UAV-4K “Global Hawk” and the warning systems E3 “and” AWACS “aircraft are used For early warning and spy planes “U2” called “Lady Dragon” and some fighters “F-22”.
It should be noted here that these aircraft are carrying out military missions, such as air refueling, intelligence operations, surveillance, location, command and control, support for ground and air attacks and the entry of the Russian air force into the war in Syria starting in September 2015.
One of the missions of the 99 reconnaissance squadron in Al Dhafra was to prevent and coordinate incidents between US and Russian aircraft.
It should be noted that this was not the case at first. The role of the airbase was limited to refueling US fighter jets.
Today it has become the starting point for US fighter jets to Iraq, Syria and even Afghanistan, as one of the most active bases of US spy planes around the world. It is said that the 380th also has a command and air force headquarters called King Ping.
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