Australia is sending military support to the United Arab Emirates after a surge of Iranian drone attacks in the region.
On March 10, 2026, Canberra confirmed it will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft, along with around 85 personnel to operate it. The mission will also include air-to-air missiles to help counter the drone threat.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the move is a direct response to a request from the UAE, marking one of Australia’s most significant overseas deployments in recent years. The support comes as Gulf countries struggle to defend critical infrastructure from swarms of cheap, long-range drones.
Wedgetail brings powerful radar capabilities
The E-7A Wedgetail is based on the Boeing 737-700 but is equipped with advanced radar that can monitor up to 1.5 million square miles. That area is larger than the combined areas of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Australia has six Wedgetails in service. Their crews have experience in similar operations, having supported Ukraine during heavy Russian drone and missile attacks in mid-2025. At that time, one Wedgetail flew more than 45 missions over three months, providing intelligence and tracking hostile aircraft across Eastern Europe.
For the UAE deployment, the aircraft will require a crew of about 85 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. “In the order of 85,” people will operate the plane, Marles confirmed. The mission highlights Australia’s expertise in airborne surveillance and intelligence gathering, which is becoming increasingly valuable in drone-heavy conflict zones.
Advanced missiles to support UAE defences
In addition to surveillance, Australia will send advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to the UAE. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the missiles are part of Canberra’s direct response to the UAE’s request.
Analysts say the Gulf states are running low on interceptors due to the volume of Iranian drone attacks. These “Shahed” drones are inexpensive and produced in large numbers, but the guided missiles needed to shoot them down are complex and costly.
Jennifer Parker from the University of Western Australia’s Defence and Security Institute said the missiles will be critical. “One of the most significant challenges for the Gulf states right now is not only the detection of these ballistic missiles and drones, but the ability to shoot them down,” she said.
“Some of these drone attacks are occurring in what you would consider saturation — large numbers of drone attacks, which is very intensive in terms of the use of interceptors or missiles. I think it would be a welcome contribution.”
The ADF is investing heavily in counter-drone capabilities, with a mid-2025 announcement of more than $2 billion for new air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. The stock sent to the UAE will come from existing inventories, not these new acquisitions.
Lessons for future defence planning
Experts say the UAE crisis exposes a gap in Australia’s own ability to counter mass drone attacks. Parker noted that learning from the Gulf conflict could help Australia prepare for future conflicts.
“The scale of drone attacks coming from Iran has forced the US and other countries to turn to some unexpected places for guidance. For example, the US has called on war-torn Ukraine for help,” she said. She suggested that Australia could deploy fighter aircraft to the region for defensive support and operational experience.
The federal government plans to spend over $1 billion on anti-drone systems through the $1.3 billion Project Land 156 program. Funding will cover a range of counter-drone technologies over the next decade.
“There are a number of gaps in ADF capability, but investment in integrated air and missile defence, the ability to detect and shoot down these [drones], needs to be a priority for the May budget,” Parker added.
“Yes, we have capability, and we are providing some of that capability to the Middle East, but we have limited capability in a wide range of critical areas that we would need to protect in a conflict.”