The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly deployed an advanced radar system to the Puntland Naval Forces Headquarters, located near the strategic Bosaso Air Base in northeastern Somalia. The radar is claimed to be an Israeli-made ELM-2084 3D, according to Bulgarian Military News. The development, confirmed by journalists in Puntland and through open-source intelligence channels, raises serious questions about the UAE’s intentions in the volatile Horn of Africa region.
Israeli-Made ELM-2084 Radar: Could It Change Regional Balance of Power?
The ELM-2084 3D AESA Multi-Purpose Radar (MMR) in question is produced by IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries), one of Israel’s leading defense industry companies. This advanced radar system has multi-beam operation capability and can perform various tasks simultaneously, such as air and artillery surveillance, missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tracking. It is even known that this radar is used in Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. The UAE’s deployment of this advanced system to Somali territory is considered an important move in terms of the military balance in the region.
UAE's Defense: To Protect Against Houthis?
According to information provided to Middle East Eye by sources familiar with the matter, the UAE installed the radar earlier this year to protect Bosaso Airport from possible Houthi attacks from Yemen. Satellite images also confirm that the radar has been in the area since March. The UAE’s defense suggests that the radar has no strategic purpose and is merely a measure to protect its own interests.
Allegations and Suspicions: Is Bosaso Airport an RSF Base?
However, publicly available air traffic data shows that the UAE is increasingly using Bosaso airport to supply the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The RSF has been fighting the Sudanese Army for two years and earlier this year the Sudanese government filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice accusing the UAE of genocide over its links to the RSF. The UAE has consistently denied that it militarily supports the RSF.
According to a source in the region, the UAE installed the radar shortly after the RSF lost control of large parts of Khartoum in early March. The source said the radar was intended to detect and provide early warning of drone or missile threats, particularly those launched by the Houthis and targeting Bosaso from outside. However, a second source claimed that the UAE uses Bosaso Airport daily to support the RSF, with large cargo planes arriving regularly to load weapons and ammunition, sometimes carrying up to five large shipments at the same time. These claims cast a shadow over the UAE’s defense of the radar’s true purpose and suggest that its strategic interests in the region may be more complex.
Silence from Somalia Government and Sarcastic Response from Puntland
While these critical developments are taking place, there has been no official statement from the Somali federal government. This silence may be due to Mogadishu’s reluctance to lose financial and military support from the UAE. On the other hand, Puntland’s Presidential Minister of State Abdifatah Abdinur, who was expected to comment on the allegations, chose to remain silent on the issue and instead sent posts mocking Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This sarcastic response highlights the complexity of the Puntland government’s relationship with the UAE and its tensions with the federal government.
The allegations that the United Arab Emirates has deployed an Israeli-made radar system in northeastern Somalia raise serious questions about the balance of power in the region and the strategic intentions of the UAE. Despite the UAE’s statements that the radar is a defensive measure against the Houthis, the allegations that Bosaso Airport is being used as a possible logistical support base for the RSF and the silence of the Somali government add to the complexity of the situation. The impact of these developments on regional dynamics in the Horn of Africa will be closely monitored in the coming days.
