
Last modified: 2025-01-04 by ian macdonald
Keywords: united arab emirates | 
Links: FOTW homepage |
search | 
disclaimer and copyright | 
write us | 
mirrors
See also:
Flags were on display at the Dubai Air Show 2015. 
 Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
Additional information to add to this great post by Ruppert Baird:
The Armed Forces of 
the UAE) were established on May 11, 1951 by (British) Royal Decree No. 1, 
Article 82 , as the Oman Coast Scouts, also known 
as Oman Coast Force, or more formally "The Oman Trucial Coast Scouts", long the symbol 
of public order on the coast and commanded by British officers. This Force was 
established to protect oil exploration and establish peacekeeping missions among 
tribe conflicts, as well as securing traveling routes between the Emirates, 
prevent illegal immigration, with contraband and the slave trade of former 
British officers that had served in India. In 1956, it changed its name to 
Oman Coast Scouts.
The UAE declared its 
independence on December 2, 1971 and on December 21, 1971 the Oman Coast Scouts 
were transferred to the new authorities of the United Arab Emirates as the 
nucleus of its Defence Forces and on that very same day they were renamed Union 
Defense Forces (UDF). The UDF were a set of Federal Forces, encompassing the 
former Oman Coast Scouts, plus all the other Regional Forces set up by the 
governments of each Emirate, such as:
- Abu Dhabi 
Defense Force, ADDF. It was established in 1965 and in 1976 the ADDF became the 
Western Command of the UDF.
- Dubai Defense Force, 
DDF. It was established in 1971 and in 1996 the DFF became the Central Command 
of the UDF.
- Mobile Forces of Ras Al 
Khaimah  It was established in 1969 and it became the Northern Command of 
the UDF in 1996.
- National Guard of Sharjah. 
It was established in 1972 and it merged with the Federal Police in 1976.
- 
National Guard of Umm Al Quwain. It merged 
with the Federal Police in 1976.
On May 6, 1976 all available Forces were 
united under one command, emblem and flag, called the General Command of the Armed Forces).
Sources:
https://www.government.ae/en/information-and-services/justice-safety-and-the-law/armed-forces,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trucial_Oman_Scouts,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_of_UAE,
https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki 
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates.
For additional information go to UAE Government website entry on the 
Armed Forces:
https://government.ae/en/information-and-services/justice-safety-and-the-law/armed-forces
Ministry of Defense (official website): 
http://www.mod.gov.ae/ 
Esteban Rivera, 8 November 2017
![[UAE Armed Forcesflag]](../images/a/ae^armf.gif) image by 
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
 image by 
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
![[UAE Armed Forcesflag]](../images/a/ae^afor2.gif) image by Pete Loeser, 
2 February 2022
 image by Pete Loeser, 
2 February 2022
The United Arab Emirates Armed Forces consist of the Army, Navy, Air Force, 
Presidential Guard, Joint Aviation Command, and the National Guard.
The flag 
of the Armed Forces is red with Union flag in the canton with its emblem placed 
in the fly.
Flags of branches of Armed Forces:
https://www.nationshield.ae 
 
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
Correctly there is no white colour on the badge (coat of arms) on the fly of the flag. Look 
the hawk. The same is true with the Land Forces flag.
Tomislav Šipek, 31 January 2022
![[UAE Air Force & Air Defense flag]](../images/a/ae^af.gif) image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
 image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
Air Force & Air Defence (Essentially all fixed wing aircraft)
Image 
based on photo.
The flag of the Air Force is light blue with its emblem placed in the center of the flag.
https://www.zawya.com
 
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
![[UAE Air Force & Air Defense flag]](../images/a/ae^afad).gif) image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
 image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
Ruppert Baird, 6 November 2017
![[Joint Aviation Command]](../images/a/ae^jac.gif) image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
 image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
Joint Aviation Command (All rotary wing aircraft - military and Search & Rescue, 
as well as Special Operations fixed wing).
Image 
based on photo.
![[UAE Air Force & Air Defense flag]](../images/a/ae^jac).gif) image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
 image by Ruppert Baird, 
6 November 2017
Ruppert Baird, 6 November 2017
![[UAE Police flag]](../images/a/ae^army.gif) image by 
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
 image by 
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
Image 
based on photo.
Ruppert Baird, 6 November 2017
The flag of the Army is red with its emblem placed in the center of the flag.
https://www.defaiya.com/news
 
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
![[Presidential Standard (United Arab Emirates)]](../images/a/ae^presg.gif) 1:2 
image by  
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
 1:2 
image by  
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
The Presidential Guard 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 are considered to be a premier fighting unit in the Middle East and 
the Arab world.
Its flag is diagonally divided reddish brown over sand 
yellow and with a yellow narrow diagonal stripe. Emblem of the Guard is placed 
in the center of the flag. It consists of a hawk, a traditional Arabic dagger 
and its Arabic name placed over the hawk (حرس الرئاسة - Haras al-Riyasa - 
Presidential Guard).
Image of flag:
https://asset.sheikhmohammed.ae/CPDAssets 
  
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
![[Presidential Standard (United Arab Emirates)]](../images/a/ae^ng.gif) image by  
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
 image by  
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
The Abu Dhabi-based National Guard ensures public order and safety, and 
supports local and federal responses to crises and emergencies together with 
securing critical national infrastructure and borders.
Its flag is 
diagonally dived pale purple over sand yellow with its badge placed in the 
center of the flag.
Image of flag:
https://www.zawya.com
  
Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
![[UAE Racing Stripe]](../images/a/ae~jack.gif) image by Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
 image by Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
Image 
based on photo.
Ruppert Baird, 6 November 2017
The Flag of the Navy of the UAE is white with Navy emblem placed in the 
center of the flag.
https://unipath-magazine.com/a-steady-hand/ 
This flag is also used as Naval Jack:
https://www.seaforces.org/marint/UAE-Navy/UAE-Navy-03.jpg 
http://www.milpower.org/img/ships/s01771_001.jpg 
 Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
Racing Stripe
![[UAE Racing Stripe]](../images/a/ae_cgrs.gif) image by Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
 image by Zoltan Horvath, 7 December 2024
Photos:
https://shipshub.com/navy/73-1.html#lg=1&slide=0 
https://shipshub.com/navy/73-1.html#lg=1&slide=3