United Arab Emirates Presidential Guard

The UAE Presidential Guard (UAE-PG) (Arabic: حرس الرئاسة لدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة) is an elite military special operations unit of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. It is a military unit that operates outside the conventional framework of traditional armed forces. Its estimated 12,000 personnel[1] are considered to be a premier fighting unit in the Middle East and the Arab world.[2]

Presidential Guard Command
حرس الرئاسة (in Arabic)
Founded2011 (2011)
Country United Arab Emirates
TypeSpecial forces
RoleAir assault
Amphibious reconnaissance
Amphibious warfare
CBRN defense
Clandestine operation
Close-quarters combat
Combat search and rescue
Counterinsurgency
Counterterrorism
Covert operation
Desert warfare
Direct action
Executive protection
Fire support
Forward air control
Hostage rescue
Long-range penetration
Mountain warfare
Raiding
Reconnaissance
Special operations
Special reconnaissance
Tactical emergency medical services
Unconventional warfare
Underwater demolition
Urban warfare
SizeDivision
Motto(s)Allah, Watan, Ra'is
ColorsBeige and Burgundy
Engagements
See list
Commanders
Commander in ChiefMohammed bin Zayed
Unit commanderMike Hindmarsh
The Presidential Guard contingent (last three rows) marching on the Rajpath during the Delhi Republic Day parade in 2017.

Its duties include protecting the Ra'is albeit they are not limited by that role.[3]

History

UAE-PG was formed in 2011 as a merger of the Amiri Guard, the Special Operations Command, and the Marine Battalion from the UAE Navy.[4]

In a traditional tribal society, a paramount sheikh would be protected by his armed retainers. These retainers come from tribes which had demonstrated long-term loyalty to the ruler. With the formation of professional armed forces, these armed retainers became the Emiri Guard. In 2011, the Emiri Guard command of the UAE Armed Forces was integrated into the new Presidential Guard Command.[5]

Multiple foreign officers, including Major General Mike Hindmarsh from the Australian Army have served and/or are serving in the guard.[6] In the case of Hindmarsh, he serves as the guard's commander.[7] In October 2011, United States State Department approved of training support being provided by the United States Marine Corps for the guard under the Marine Corps Training Mission UAE (MCTM-UAE).[8] At around the same time, the USMC officially designated the UAE-PG as its Marine counterpart.

In January 2017, a 149-member contingent from the Presidential Guard, as well as 35-member band, marched in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Pranab Mukherjee on the Rajpath during the Delhi Republic Day parade of 2017.[9][10][11]

In 2019, the UAE-PG has inaugurated the opening of Martyr's Park, dedicated to UAE-PG personnel who were killed in the line of duty.[12]

Deployments

Afghanistan
Main article: War in Afghanistan

The UAE-PG participated in the War in Afghanistan in support to the coalition efforts against the Taliban. Their role has mostly been active in the delivery of humanitarian aid as well as supporting the development of basic community infrastructure in Afghanistan.[13]

2015 Yemeni Civil War
Main article: Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)

The Presidential Guard has played a role in the Yemeni Civil War in the support of the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.[14][15]

Organization

The UAE PG has the UAE Special Operations Command under its control.[16] It also has the Special Mission Unit.[17]

Headquarters

The guard headquarters is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The building consists of a basement, a ground floor and three upper levels. It has a length of about 31,000 square meters.[18]

Training

Training of UAE-PG personnel is provided under the USMC's UAE Marine Corps Training Mission - United Arab Emirates (UAE MCTM - UAE) unit.[16]

See also

Further reading

Sources
  1. Yates, Athol (2020). The Evolution of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates. Warwick: Helion & Co. p. 270. ISBN 9781912866007.
  2. "Behind the Lines: Hedging bets in the gulf". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.
  3. "Presidential Guard Command". www.protenders.com.
  4. "Mission:Winds of Goodness - The UAE Presidential Guard". www.uaeafghanistan.ae.
  5. Yates (2020). The Evolution of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates. pp. 271–275.
  6. "Decorated Australian soldier faces questions about Yemen war". www.abc.net.au. February 8, 2016.
  7. "They were our best. Now they advise a foreign army accused of war crimes". www.abc.net.au. December 13, 2018.
  8. "Personnel Sourcing Guidance in Support of Marine Corps Training Mission - United Arab Emir". MARADMIN 620/12, PERSONNEL SOURCING GUIDANCE IN SUPPORT OF MARINE CORPS TRAINING MISSION - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (MCTM- UAE). Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  9. "Curtain Raiser-Republic Day – 2017".
  10. Debusmann, Bernd Jr. "Watch: UAE troops lead the way in Republic Day parade". Khaleej Times.
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2020-03-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. "UAE standing with Saudi Arabia in one trench: Mohamed bin Zayed". gulfnews.com.
  13. "THE UAE'S POLICY IN AFGHANISTAN". uaeafghanistan.ae. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  14. "Mission:Winds of Goodness - The UAE Presidential Guard". www.uaeafghanistan.ae. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  15. "GAL Signs Contract with UAE Presidential Guard Command for IT Augmentation Services | EDGE". edgegroup.ae. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  16. "UAE Presidential Guard Command".
  17. ""مايك هندمارش".. لماذا يضع بن زايد جيشه تحت قيادة أسترالي؟". midan.aljazeera.net. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  18. Associates, RW Armstrong &. "RW Armstrong, International Engineering Firm - PRESIDENTIAL GUARD COMMAND HEADQUARTERS". RW Armstrong & Associates.
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