Abu Dhabi Base, also called Camp de la Paix ("Peace Camp") and known and referred to by the French military as Implantation militaire française aux Émirats arabes unis ("French Military Settlement in UAE") or simply IMFEAU, is a French Naval Air Station

Naval Air Station

A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...

 based in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...

, in the United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...

, since 2009.

History

Defence arrangements were signed between the UAE and France in January 1995, but it was not until 2007 that the UAE requested a French military presence within the country. This plan was formally announced in January 2008, and the base itself was inaugurated on 26 May 2009 by French President Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....

.

Organisation

Abu Dhabi base comprises three military camps of the French Army that harbour around 250 personnel.

The base operates under ALINDIEN

ALINDIEN

ALINDIEN is a French naval acronym designing the admiral in charge of the maritime zone of the Indian Ocean, and of the French forces there. The office has been held by Contre-amiral Jacques Launay since 31 December 2006...

, the Admiral who heads the French forces in the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

. Its operation costs, amounting to 15 to 50 million Euros, are funded by the UAE.

Naval base

The naval base is located in Port Zayed, at the end of the commerce harbour. It comprises a 300-metre long dock with a 200-metre wide area, and can host ships up to 10 metres of draught. This allows docking of all French Navy ships, save for the Charles De Gaulle. The base faces the Straits of Hormuz, a position of vital economic importance. Approximately 40% of the world's oil passes through the Hormusz Strait. The naval component of the base will have 72 staff members. It will accommodate boat stops in the region and will serve as "the preferred support ships of the Navy in the region".

Air base

The air component is named "Air base 104 Al Dhafra

Al Dhafra Air Base

Al Dhafra Air Base is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. The base is located approximately south of Abu Dhabi and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...

". Since 1 October 2008, three fighters have been based there. The base parcel granted to the French Air Force can harbour up to six aircraft. The land base has 3 Mirage 2000-5 jet fighters currently on station in addition to 57 members of the military on staff.

Land base

A training camp was opened for the French Army, 50 km from Abu Dabi. It is equipped to train soldiers for urban and desert operations. The land portion of the base holds 93 soldiers within. The soldiers tasked with maintaining the land portion of the base "will have the task to ensure the missions of education and training for fighting in urban areas and in the desert"