We live in an era where new technologies are transforming international competition. Although the United States continues to invest in technologies such as unmanned aerial systems and undersea and surface drones, we hold no monopoly on these capabilities. Militias and violent extremist organizations operating in the region are acquiring — and in some cases manufacturing — equipment and weapons that can do great harm without endangering their operators. Possession of these easily obtained and inexpensive weapons could determine who prevails in a conflict. In recent wars like the one in Ukraine, we see relatively cheap drones sinking costly warships. The…
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UNIPATH STAFF | photos by u.s. army central During the February 2024 visit of the Qatari Land Forces delegation to the National Training Center (NTC) Fort Irwin in California, where the rugged terrain is considered a realistic environment to train for tank and infantry battles, Unipath interviewed Lt. Col. Mohammed Al Kuwari. He talked about the center’s capabilities and ways to develop the skills of friendly forces there. Unipath: What is your opinion of the U.S. Army National Training Center? Lt. Col. Al Kuwari: On our first visit to the U.S. Army National Training Center, which is considered one of…
Naval forces keep watch on international shipping lanes from the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf with a widespread network of floating, flying and underwater sensors. These valuable eyes on the water, which hunt for smugglers, terrorists and other criminals, collect millions of images. Sorting such a vast volume of data tests the skills of Soldiers and Sailors. A new partner on the battlefield — artificial intelligence (AI) — is providing the sorting and sifting power to overcome what would otherwise be analytical overload. Depending on parameters set by their human programmers, AI systems can winnow the millions of images…
UNIPATH STAFF As adversaries become more capable and threats more complex, enhancing electronic warfare capabilities is increasingly critical to regional security. Boosting Saudi Arabia’s electronic warfare capabilities, 13 Royal Saudi Air Force officers completed a 3 ½-year electronic warfare training program at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, in March 2024. During a ceremony attended by senior U.S. Air Force and Saudi military leaders, the Saudi officers received Electronic Warfare Officer training certificates. The U.S. Air Force noted that these students are among the best-trained electronic warfare and cyber experts in the world. The program consists of 4,400 hours of instruction,…
Demonstrating robust military-to-military relations, the Kuwait Armed Forces and the U.S. military conducted a bilateral maritime drill code-named Eager Defender 24 (ED24) in Kuwait and the North Arabian Gulf in January and February 2024. The Kuwait Naval Force, Kuwait Coast Guard, U.S Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command joined forces in the drill that was led by U.S. Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (TF 51/5). Naval forces from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, as well as observers from the Gulf Cooperation Council, also took part in the exercise, according to…
A partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Tajik Ministry of Health and Social Protection marked a significant milestone in their efforts to combat pandemics like COVID-19 in Tajikistan. Since March 2020, USAID’s Health System Sustainability Project has played a critical role in helping the Tajik Health Ministry improve the national laboratory system and implement the National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan. The USAID initiative rolled out across 25 of Tajikistan’s 62 districts. During the past three years, USAID has supplied 10 laboratories in Tajikistan with essential equipment, including incubators for disease detection, 50 refrigerators,…
Building the capabilities of its security forces, the United Arab Emirates held a marksmanship competition for hundreds of officers from the Abu Dhabi Police Department in March 2024. The fifth edition of the Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Al Nahyan Shooting Competition was at the Al Wathba-Al Haffar shooting range in Abu Dhabi. Nearly 200 commissioned and noncommissioned officers, men and women representing seven Abu Dhabi Police Department sections, competed in the four-day competition. Brig. Gen. Hussein Mohammed Al Qahtani, director of the marksmanship and field applications section, noted that marksmanship is one of the most important skills police need to…
In its continuing battle with drug smugglers, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has received support and solidarity from neighboring Arab governments that recognize the kingdom’s success in opposing the narcotics trade. In March 2024, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened a joint ministerial council between its member states and Jordan to aid Jordan’s counternarcotics efforts. Chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, the meeting drew foreign ministers of the GCC member states, including His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of…
Demonstrating Egypt’s commitment to maritime security, Commander of Egyptian Naval Forces Rear Adm. Ashraf Ibrahim Atwa discussed ways to support European Maritime Operations in the northwest Indian Ocean and Red Sea in April 2024. Rear Adm. Ashraf met with Rear Adm. Vasileios Gryparis, Operation Commander of Aspides, the European Union naval mission in the Red Sea established in response to Houthi attacks on shipping in late 2023. As of April 2024, seven countries contributed to the European naval operations off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. The two commanders discussed promoting global cooperation and partnership, shoring up…
UNIPATH STAFF To improve disaster response in the Central Asian region, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan ratified a joint agreement to cooperate on aerial search and rescue missions that could cross borders. In February 2024, the Kazakh Parliament passed a law titled “On the ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on cooperation in aviation search and rescue.” “The goals of the agreement are to strengthen cooperation between the search and rescue services of the two countries, share information on aircraft accidents, and take measures to…