UAE rejects Bloomberg report on its defensive capabilities

Where Diplomacy Meets News

UAE rejects Bloomberg report on its defensive capabilities

March 3, 2026

ABU DHABI,— The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday rejected a report published by Bloomberg that discussed what it described as the country’s advanced defensive capabilities, calling the claims false and misleading as tensions grow in the military confrontation between the United States and Iran.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE said it categorically rejects what it called inaccurate assertions contained in the Bloomberg report.

The ministry said the information presented was unfounded and did not reflect the country’s actual level of preparedness.

The statement said the report misrepresented the UAE’s state of readiness, its technological development and its operational capabilities.

The ministry stressed the importance of responsible journalism and said media outlets should verify information with official sources before publishing reports that it described as inaccurate.

The ministry said the UAE operates diverse, integrated and layered air defense systems. These systems, it said, are designed to counter a full range of aerial threats.

The statement said the country’s long, medium and short range systems provide broad protection for national airspace.

It also said the UAE maintains a strong strategic stockpile of munitions. This, the ministry stated, ensures sustained interception and response capability over extended periods while maintaining operational readiness to protect national security and sovereignty.

The ministry reaffirmed that the UAE’s defense capabilities, institutional preparedness and national security framework remain steady and unaffected.

It added that protecting citizens, residents and visitors continues to be the country’s highest priority.

Costly Defense: $4 Million Patriot Missiles Face $20,000 Iranian Drones

Patriot air defense system, a mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. Photo: NATO/nato.int

Bloomberg reported that the conflict involving Iran has become a war of attrition just days after it began.

The report said waves of drone attacks launched by Iran are placing pressure on the defenses of the United States and its partners across the region, including Bahrain and the UAE.

It said weapons stockpiles are being reduced as the exchanges continue and that the result of the confrontation could depend on which side exhausts its munitions first.

The report stated that Shahed 136 one way attack drones and small cruise missiles continued to strike targets across the Middle East.

It said the drones recently hit U.S. bases, oil facilities and civilian buildings following U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran that began on Saturday. Those strikes included cruise missiles, drones and precision guided bombs.

According to Bloomberg, U.S. made Patriot air defense systems have intercepted Iranian drones and ballistic missiles with a success rate of more than 90 percent, as stated by the UAE.

The report noted that each Patriot missile costs about 4 million dollars, while the Iranian drones are estimated to cost about #20,000 dollars each.

It said this cost imbalance reflects a broader challenge faced by Western military planners since the early phase of the war in Ukraine, where lower cost weapons have been used to strain more expensive defense systems.

(With files from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE | Bloomberg)