UAE Air Force Commander Visits Korea
Signs Letter of Intent for KF-21 Cooperation with Air Force Chief Lee Youngsu
UAE Delegation to Observe Training and Board KF-21 Prototype
The Commander of the Air Defense Command of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force is visiting Korea and will meet with Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-su to sign a letter of intent regarding cooperation on the KF-21 Boramae.
According to the Air Force on the 15th, Chief of Staff Lee and Major General Rashid Mohamed Al Shamsi, Commander of the UAE Air Force Air Defense Command, will sign a "Letter of Intent on Comprehensive Cooperation for the KF-21" on the 16th at the Sacheon base in Gyeongnam. The agreement includes the UAE Air Force observing training involving the KF-21 and visiting related units.
On the 17th, the domestically produced supersonic fighter jet KF-21 was unveiled at the 'Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023' held at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
On the same day, Brigadier General Azan Ali Al Nuaimi, Commander of the UAE AWC, will also board the KF-21 prototype. Commander Al Nuaimi will experience the outstanding performance of the KF-21 together with a test pilot from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
Prior to this, Chief of Staff Lee and Commander Al Shamsi held a bilateral dialogue at the Air Force Headquarters in Gyeryongdae, sharing security situations on the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East region, and pledged to continue cooperation in defense and defense industry sectors between the two air forces.
Chief of Staff Lee stated, "Our Air Force regularly participates in Desert Flag and Integrated Air and Missile Defense Operation Command (IAMDOC) exercises held in the UAE," adding, "Going forward, our Air Force and the UAE Air Force will continue to expand military exchanges and cooperation through various joint exercises."
He further emphasized, "Especially as the UAE Air Force is about to operate the 'Korean version of Patriot,' Cheongung-II, our Air Force will do its utmost to assist by supporting air defense personnel training programs so that the UAE Air Force can successfully acquire the system and operate it stably."
Subsequently, Chief of Staff Lee and Commander Al Shamsi signed a memorandum of understanding to regularize air force-to-air force meetings between the two countries. Among Middle Eastern countries, the UAE is the first to hold such meetings with the Republic of Korea Air Force. The regularization of these meetings was mutually recognized as necessary during Chief of Staff Lee’s military diplomatic visit to the UAE in March last year and was officially concluded with Commander Al Shamsi’s visit to Korea this time.
Meanwhile, the UAE Air Force delegation is scheduled to depart on the 17th after completing their visit to Korea. During their stay, the delegation plans to meet with Seok Jong-geon, Administrator of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and Kang Gu-young, President of KAI, to discuss ways to enhance defense industry cooperation between the two countries.
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