UAE ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba said the US played a crucial role in the Emirates' progress and security. However, the extent of Emirati dependence on the US military contractors is not fully known. Branches Air Force The United Arab Emirates Air Force has about 4,000 personnel as of 2017. The air force agreed in 1999 to purchase 80 US F-16 multirole fighter aircraft. Other equipment includes 60 Mirage 2000s, British Hawk aircraft, and French helicopters. The air defense has a Hawk missile program for which the United States has been training. UAE has taken delivery of two of five Triad I-Hawk batteries. United Arab Emirates Air Defence Force is responsible for civil defense aircraft and protecting the country's airspace. Army As part of the military of United Arab Emirates, the Army (called Land Forces in Arabic) is responsible for land and ground based operations. Medical Corps form part of the Army and are responsible for military medical support to the rest of UAE Armed Forces. Navy The United Arab Emirates Navy consisted of more than 2,000 personnel and 72 vessels. United Arab Emirates Marines – UAE maintained a battalion-sized Marine force called UAE Marines until 2011 when it was merged into UAE-PG. United Arab Emirates Coast Guard – a coast guard agency of United Arab Emirates and is primarily responsible for the protection of UAE coastline through regulation of maritime laws, maintenance of seamarks, border control, anti-smuggling operations and other services. Presidential Guard The United Arab Emirates Presidential Guard (UAE-PG) was formed in 2011 by merging the Amiri Guard, Special Operations Command, and the Marine Battalion from the UAE Navy. UAE requested training support be provide by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The U.S. State Department approved a foreign military sales (FMS) Training Case for UAE-PG in October 2011. Marine Corps Training Mission UAE (MCTM-UAE) operates under chief of mission authority as a Title 22 FMS training case. Deployments Gulf War UAE sent forces to assist Kuwait during the 1990–1991 Gulf War where some hundred UAE troops participated in the conflict as part of the GCC Peninsula Shield force that advanced into Kuwait City. UAE air force carried out strikes against Iraqi forces. UAE Armed Forces participated in the coalition with an army battalion along with a squadron of Dassault Mirage 5 and Mirage 2000. 6 UAE troops were killed in action. United Nations Operation in Somalia