The United States has a significant strategic relationship with the UAE and has supplied it with numerous defensive systems to counter the development of Iranian ballistic missile capabilities.

The UAE has been advised by NATO in February of 2013 to conduct sophisticated ballistic missile defense training in the Mediterranean to counter any potential threats.  

As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the UAE is working in coordination with Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia to discuss forming a regional ballistic missile defense shield.

In 2008, the UAE purchased an arms package consisting of the Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-T (GEM-T) and the Lockheed Martin Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) systems. On December 25 ^th 2011 the US and UAE signed a 3.48 billion dollar arms deal which included two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems, 96 missiles, two radar systems, spare parts, and training, making the UAE the first international recipient of the THAAD system. 

·          The UAE’s first Patriot systems were delivered in the summer of 2012.  Once fielded, the UAE will possess the most modern Patriot systems in the world.    The UAE is now working toward development of a battle management system that will tie all of its air defenses together (called Extended Air Defence Ground Environment–Transformation)