Emirati defence planning: The overriding importance of the political-cultural system

Exhibiting some unusual characteristics, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) offers an intriguing case for the comparative study of defence planning of small and medium powers. It has arguably achieved something very few demographically small countries—even wealthy ones—have done before: generated unusual levels of military effectiveness and sophistication. The central argument advanced in this chapter is that the UAE’s political and cultural environment plays a much more pervasive role in Emirati defence planning matters than structural realities such as its wealth, population and institutions. With UAE defence planning driven by the political leadership of the country, the sources of innovation are primarily emulation of perceived external ‘best in class’ practices. The low institutional capacity for capturing adaptions means that such innovations will invariably not endure unless there is sustained oversight and interest by the political leadership.