Union Defence Force
In 1971 the Scouts were renamed Union Defence Force (U.D.F.) upon the formation of United Arab Emirates. At the time, the Force consisted of 2,500 regular military personnel. In 1975 the UDF had 3,250 regular military personnel organised into 6 Mobile Squadrons and an Air Detachment with seven helicopters. The Force was equipped with Scorpion light tanks, Ferret armoured cars, Land Rovers, eight 81mm Mortars, and two Dhows.
In May 1976 the Union Defence Force unified and incorporated the military forces of the various U.A.E states, which then lost their individual identities.
The UDF is organized as highly mobile light armored cavalry and included 40% locally recruited Arab personnel including 50 Jordanian NCOs and Omanis, who form the bulk of the troops. It includes Iranians, Indians, and Pakistanis. It remained under the command and control of 30 British officers until the mid-1980s. Its headquarters have been at Sharjah since 1951.
The Union Defense Force was used on two occasions in Sharjah Emirate.
Read more about this topic: Trucial Oman Scouts
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