For the past fortnight, around 200 Emirati and American soldiers have been training alongside each other, deep in the Abu Dhabi desert.
The regular 'Iron Union' exercises allow the forces to practice communication and co-ordination, ensuring they are prepared if they find themselves on the battlefield together for real.
It culminated last week with a live-fire exercise, with US mortars and Bradley fighting vehicles lined up alongside Emirati armed reconnaissance units to unleash thousands of rounds at far away targets.
In a first, The National was invited to observe the exercise.
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A US soldier, one of around 100 who have been living in the Abu Dhabi desert for a fortnight. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The US and UAE troops shot at far away targets. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
US soldiers survey the terrain during the Iron Union training drill. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Some of the Emirati fighting vehicles which took part in the live-fire exercise in the Abu Dhabi desert. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Lieutenant colonel Jon Stewart told how his troops had been getting along with Emiratis during the training drill. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Some of the Emirati participants in the live-fire training exercise in the Abu Dhabi desert. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A joint military training exercise between the UAE and US recon forces using live ammunition. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
US soldiers take a break during their live-fire exercise. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A US soldier observes the terrain. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
American troops prepare for the live-fire exercise in the Abu Dhabi desert. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Soldiers manning an Emirati armed reconnaissance vehicle fire at their target. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Troops were closely observed by their commanders during the training exercise. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The US and UAE militaries work closely together during the live-fire exercise. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
US and Emirati forces lined up alongside each other. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A joint military training exercise between the UAE and US recon forces using live ammunition. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A US soldier surveys unfamiliar terrain. Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Emirati troops observe the landscape. Chris Whiteoak / The National
But while the drills prove valuable from a technical and tactical perspective – and allow US soldiers to gain experience of working in an unfamiliar terrain – this is only part of the point, Lt Col Jon Stewart, who is one of the senior military figures overseeing the training, observed.
He said the friendships and understanding developed between the US and Emirati soldiers, who have been living alongside each other in tents and trailers at a temporary camp, was also hugely important.
“It’s been great,” Lt Col Stewart said. “The hospitality, I couldn’t say enough about. They treat us as guests.
"It’s now at the point we bring out a football or they bring out something… we work together in downtime and it works out really well.
“Soldiers that are younger than me, who are still going to be in the military 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now, are going to remember this time.
"They’re going to run into somebody they saw here and that’s where the difference will be made.”
Earlier in the week, US soldiers drove into a nearby town to buy a birthday cake for one of their Emirati colleagues.
As well as performing military operations in dust storms and heat, American troops in the region have also grown used to hearing the call to prayer every morning, helping build a cultural understanding.
The bonds built are on display on the soldiers’ uniforms, with Americans and Emiratis having taken to swapping insignia, which are attached to their clothes with velcro.
“That was something that I didn’t direct as a commander, it’s just something in their normal conversations and interactions that they did,” Lt Col Stewart said.
“Especially our unit patches, we swapped out. So our soldiers are wearing the Emirati patches and I encouraged it, because it shows how we’re working together. Those types of things are wonderful.”
The live fire exercise was carried out without a hitch, with cannons from the Bradleys unloading into the firing range for over an hour.
Machine guns from the vehicles unleashed bullets into the medium-distance, with around two dozen soldiers prone alongside them, firing at close-range targets.
In total, 30 mortars were fired onto the range. The US troops burned through 7,000 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, their Bradley cannons unloading another 1,800 times.
The Iron Union exercises take place twice a year, with the most recent being the 12th. A larger UAE/US exercise, Native Fury, is also coming up soon.
The exercises are aimed at developing "tactics, techniques and procedures" through joint operations, while also allowing personnel to practice maintenance of vehicles, and working at night, with both novice and experienced soldiers taking part.
“This is the foundation for anything we would do, if we were to go into combat together,” Lt Col Stewart said, following the live-fire exercise.
“We were communicating down the line, between Arabic and English, which is a little bit of a challenge but this was to show we could do this together, which we did, and I think it was a great success.
“The UAE is viewed as a strong ally and partner of the United States, that’s the reason we’re here and invest our time in going through all this.
“If we don’t do these types of events now, the first time we see each other - on the battlefield - is not the [best] time to meet. We have to meet here and now, and go through this and build a relationship.”
