ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The Texas National Guard and the United Arab Emirates will be paired in the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program (SPP), the Defense Department announced in a Monday news release.
The SPP, which formally welcomed the UAE as a member, “will bolster military modernization efforts and enhance cooperation in integrated air and missile defense, cybersecurity, disaster response and operational planning,” the news release said.
The Pentagon also announced plans to create a Major Defense Partnership between the U.S. and UAE. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei signed a letter of intent to establish the comprehensive U.S.-United Arab Emirates Major Defense Partnership.
The letter of intent, signed May 16 in a ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Abu Dhabi, “represents a shared commitment to develop a structured roadmap that will guide enhanced military-to-military cooperation, joint capability development and long-term defense alignment between the two nations,” the news release said. “The two sides will explore a phased framework for advancing bilateral force readiness, interoperability and innovation-driven collaboration.”
As part of this partnership, Hegseth announced a new strategic initiative between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and the UAE’s Tawazun Council.
“This collaboration will deepen ties in defense innovation, facilitate joint research and development and expand industrial and investment partnerships across both defense ecosystems,” the news release said.
“The designation of the UAE as a Major Defense Partner reflects a decades-long relationship anchored in mutual trust, shared objectives and a common commitment to regional and global security,” the news release said. “It builds on the longstanding record of both countries working side-by-side to counter threats, stabilize conflict zones and promote security and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond.”