The maneuver, called Union Fortress, took place this afternoon along Abu Dhabi's seaside corniche. It featured fighter jets, helicopters and a mock seaborne hostage rescue performed by Emirati troops.
Such maneuvers before the public are rare in the United Arab Emirates, a major Western ally that hosts U.S. Troops involved in the fight against the Islamic State group.
The exercise came as UAE and Saudi troops are locked in a largely stalemate war with Shiite rebels and their allies in Yemen.