US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI286

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000286 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/14 
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MCAP, MOPS, GCC, TC 
SUBJECT:  UAE-BASED NEW AIR WARFARE CENTER EXERCISES BEGIN 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for reasons 
1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary: The opening of the Gulf Air Warfare Center 
(GAWC) at the Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi marks an 
important milestone in our efforts to broaden and deepen 
our military cooperation with the UAE and other GCC 
countries.  A three-year undertaking, the GAWC is an 
unprecedented achievement, bringing together bright young 
air force officers from different cultural and religious 
backgrounds for joint training and opportunities to 
exchange ideas and experiences.  This type of enriching 
collaboration should open doors for future cooperation with 
our partners in the Gulf and even beyond.  The UAE is open 
to admitting both Jordan and Egypt as paying members.  The 
makeup of the current GAWC membership includes the UAE and 
the GCC countries, the U.S., the UK, and France.  The U.S. 
holds a deputy commandant position.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) The first exercise at the newly opened Gulf Air 
Warfare Center (GAWC) is under way at Al Dhafra Air Base. 
The Ambassador, CENTAF Commander Lt. General Buchanan, UAE 
Air Force and Air Defense Commander Major General Khaled Al 
Buainnan, and diplomats from the UK, France, and Saudi 
Arabia attended an inaugural ceremony on January 25. 
 
3. (C) The GAWC has tremendous potential for multilateral 
training, defense cooperation, and interoperability in the 
region.  It features a range that rivals the USAF Air 
Warfare Center Nellis training range and complex in Nevada 
with its size and virtually unconstrained access and 
training opportunities.  The GAWC will provide an excellent 
opportunity for CENTCOM pilots and instructors to hone 
their skills in theater.  Moreover, the GAWC directly 
supports our deployed units by providing long-term access 
to ranges and training exercises otherwise not available in 
the region. 
 
4. (C) The vision of UAE Air Force Chief of Staff Major 
General Khaled was to offer an ideal setting for our U.S. 
Air Force officers to build long-term relationships with 
their Arab and European counterparts.  In his remarks at 
the inaugural ceremony, MG Khaled acknowledged that the 
GAWC could not have been accomplished without the active 
participation of the U.S. Air Force.  It has taken at least 
three years to set up the center.  MG Khaled also talked 
about the importance of intellectual interoperability among 
the air forces of different countries being just as 
important as the training and encouraged the intellectual 
exchange that will take place among cooperating nations as 
they plan and carry out future exercises.  Officers taking 
part in the inaugural class include six Emiratis, two 
Britons, and three Americans. 
 
5. (C) The USAF is providing six F-16's from Cannon Air 
Force Base in New Mexico.  The British are providing three 
GR-4s and the UAE six Mirage-2000s.  The first class is 
scheduled to graduate on February 18.  In subsequent 
exercises, the U.S., UAE, and Britain will be joined by the 
other GCC countries, as well as France.  The UAE Air Force 
is considering opening participation to Jordan and Egypt in 
the future but on a full paid basis.  A USAF officer and a 
RAF officer currently serve as deputy commandants at the 
GAWC on a temporary basis.  We are using the NSDD-38 
process to place a permanent deputy commandant and three 
staffers  ll USAF officers  nder Chief of Mission 
authority. 
 
6. (C) Comment: The opening of the GAWC in Abu Dhabi 
illustrates the expanding nature of our bilateral military 
relationship with the UAE.  Our two air forces have worked 
together for at least three years to bring this project to 
fruition.  Our bilateral and regional interests also are 
served by broadening our presence and access at Al Dhafra 
Air Base, an important strategic facility in the Gulf.  We 
also benefit by having a state-of-the-art air warfare 
center that will draw expertise and promising young 
military officers from the Gulf and beyond  nd from 
different cultures and religions - to work side-by-side 
with some of our own officers during air warfare exercises. 
 
WAHBA