UAE DEEMS MILITARY CAPABLE OF REGIONAL DEFENSE

ABU DHABI [MENL] -- The United Arab Emirates intends to use its growingmilitary for regional defense missions. UAE officials said the purchase of 80 F-16s as well as other advancedWestern systems has given Abu Dhabi a capability of force projectionthroughout the Persian Gulf. They said such a force would be capable ofcontributing to regional defense.