His Excellency Staff Major General Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi, Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence, witnessed the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the unification of the Air Force and Air Defence, which was held this morning, 14th January, 2019, at Al Dhafra Air Base.
The celebration began with the arrival of the patron of the ceremony and was received by a number of officers and employees of the Air Force and Air Defence, and then fragrant verses were recited from the Holy Quran.
In a speech on this occasion, His Excellency Staff Major General Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi emphasized that the celebration of “Unity Day”, which falls on the sixth of January of each year, is a celebration of the long march of achievements of the Air Force and Air Defence in the United Arab Emirates, as well as the achievements of the Armed Forces, which has played a prominent role since the establishment of the UAE in protecting its capabilities and defending its precious soil in the face of all dangers and threats.
He said: “The Air Force and Air Defence were able during the past years, thanks to the planning that was done on sound scientific foundations, to deal with the latest technologies in the field of equipment and weapons, which created a modern air force capable of facing challenges and defending and protecting the homeland, and this distinguished position was not created by casual circumstances, but it came as a result of the unlimited support and constant follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, “may God protect him,” as he said: “The great efficiency these forces have achieved in absorbing advanced military technology and the ability to keep pace with the latest technologies and innovations was neither easy nor the result of casual circumstances, but rather, it came as the culmination of painstaking efforts and the fruit of an integrated development strategy, and confirming the saying of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “may God have mercy on him”: “Our armed forces have become the protective shield and the fortified fence to protect our homeland.”
He added that the great qualitative shift witnessed by the Air Force and Air Defence came as a result of plans and careful studies, support and constant interest of the wise leadership and its belief in the importance of the role of the Air Force and Air Defence as one of the pillars of the modern state, as this shift was accompanied by a high degree of organization, preparation and training of the human elements and a thoughtful acquisition of the latest developments of military technology and weapons and equipment that are compatible with the requirements of modern warfare and the defence needs of our country.
He stressed that the general modernization and development strategy adopted by our wise leadership to develop the armed forces in general and the air force and air defence in particular is the strategy that enabled the Air Force to possess the most modern and advanced weapons, which enhanced the efficiency of our air forces and enabled them to reach the highest levels of qualification, armament and readiness in order to achieve the goal of protecting the UAE’s airspace and its territorial integrity.
He stated that the appreciation and praise received by the Air Force and Air Defence of many countries of the world confirms that we are moving in the right path, which was drawn according to the directives of our wise leadership for our air forces to be the pillar of the armed forces that enhance security and overall stability at home, and actively participate in restoring security and stability in the region and the world, until our armed forces became today a symbol of relief and spreading the spirit of hope among the needy and the poor all over the world, embodying a noble humanitarian approach in solidarity with all countries facing humanitarian crises or challenges.
After that, a documentary film was shown that showed the extent of development that has accompanied the march of the Air Force and Air Defence and its participation abroad since its inception and the prestigious position it reached until it has become today one of the most advanced and well-equipped air forces at the international and regional level and a source of pride for our beloved country.
Subsequently, His Excellency Staff Major General Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi, Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence, honored the distinguished officers, non-commissioned officers, individuals and civilians of the Air Force and Air Defence Command.
