- i24NEWS
- Israel
- Diplomacy & defense
- Potential for Israeli, Emirati space force collaboration
Potential for Israeli, Emirati space force collaboration
Israel and the UAE are both wary of Iran’s growing hostility in the Middle East
![i24NEWS](https://cdn.i24news.tv/upload/image/1352b9caa849f9325c12157cf9dfc47bc0e3c73e.png?width=36&height=36)
![An F-35 wings production line displayed to the media during its inauguration ceremony at the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) near Tel Aviv, Israel, November 4, 2014.](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/24/69/3a/19/45/b7/51/be/ca/fc/29/c9/68/fe/fe/a0/24693a1945b751becafc29c968fefea0.jpg?width=1000)
There is a prospective future for Israeli-Emirati military cooperation in space, according to a statement from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Tuesday.
Shlomi Sudri, General-Manager of IAI’s Space Division, said that “there are a lot of things in the neighborhood that is of interest to both countries, so there is a possibility,” The Jerusalem Post (The Post) reported.
“It may be possible to cooperate with the UAE’s military,” he added, following the International Astronautical Congress in Dubai.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are both wary of Iran’s growing hostility in the Middle East.
“We have a lot in common with the United Arab Emirates, both relatively small countries who are in an interesting neighborhood,” Sudri said, The Post reported.
Israel’s military has kept a close eye on the Islamic Republic using satellites, the latest one being the IAI’s Ofek 16 launched in July 2020.
As Israel’s leading company in aerospace, IAI deals with state-of-the-art space and satellite technology that is used for defense purposes.
A key component of Israel’s strategic military capabilities is the satellite industry, as the Jewish State and the UAE are two of the 13 countries capable of launching satellites, according to The Post.
While referring to the UAE as the ‘Start-up Emirates,’ Sudri said the country “demonstrates a lot of innovation in high-tech and the space industry.”
“They participate in interesting missions like going to Mars, they don’t only focus on doing business in space but seeking innovation in it,” he added, The Post reported.
In late October of this year, Israel and the UAE signed an agreement on space exploration, including collaborating on the "Beresheet 2" mission to the moon set to launch in 2024.