By Philip Butterworth-Hayes
Earlier today the US State Department announced “the determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the UAE… of Fixed Site- Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) and related equipment. The estimated total cost is USD2.10 billion.”
According to the State Department:
“The Government of the United Arab Emirates has requested to buy ten (10) Fixed Site- Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) System of Systems, to include: two hundred forty (240) Coyote Block 2 All-Up-Rounds; Ku Band Multi-Function Radio Frequency System (KuMRFS) radars; Coyote launcher systems (4-pack launcher); Electro Optical Infrared (EO/IR) Cameras; AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders; Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2) systems; support and test equipment; integration and test support; spare and repair parts; communications equipment; software delivery and support; facilities and construction support; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; studies and surveys; maintenance services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.”
Iranian drone and missile attacks on the UAE’s Shah and Habshan gas field sites have reportedly shut down gas processing facilities that produce roughly 20 percent of the UAE’s national gas supply.
According to a March 19 statement from the The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defence, its air defences have intercepted seven ballistic missiles and 15 drones launched from Iran in the last few hours.
“The ministry stated that since the start of the Iranian attacks, UAE air defenses have engaged a total of 334 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,714 drones. The strikes have resulted in the deaths of two UAE armed forces personnel performing their national duty, as well as six civilians, and left 158 people injured with minor, moderate, and serious wounds, including multiple nationalities.”
The Middle East conflict has entered a new stage of energy facility targeting following an Israeli attack on the South Pars gasfield in Iran and retaliatory Iranian attacks on energy facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Iran has used a combination of missiles and drones in its attacks on the Ras Laffan gas field, Qatar’s largest energy site. The results of the attacks have sent energy prices soaring.
According to Kuwait’s Defence Ministry two Iranian drones targeted “operational units affiliated with the National Petroleum Company, resulting in limited fires breaking out”; the country’s air defence systems detected 18 hostile drones within its airspace, and 13 were destroyed, reported the ministry.
For more information
https://www.state.gov/releases/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/2026/03/united-arab-emirates-fixed-site-low-slow-small-unmanned-aircraft-integrated-defeat-system/#:~:text=Integrated%20Defeat%20System-,United%20Arab%20Emirates%20%E2%80%93%20Fixed%20Site%2DLow%2C%20Slow%2C%20Small,of%20logistics%20and%20program%20support.
https://qna.org.qa/en/news/news-details?id=uae-air-defenses-engage-7-ballistic-missiles-and-15-drones&date=19/03/2026#:~:text=Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20March%2019%20(QNA,15%20drones%20launched%20from%20Iran.
(Image: Raytheon Coyote – image RTX)