UAE naval vessels using Eritrea’s Assab port

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy is using the port of Assab in Eritrea, Airbus Defence and Space satellite imagery confirms.

Airbus Defence and Space imagery shows various foreign-operated vessels berthed in the Eritrean port at Assab. (CNES 2015, Distribution Airbus DS/2016 IHS)

Landing ships that can be identified as UAE naval assets can be seen at the port in three separate satellite images.

Taken on 5 February, the most recent image shows a landing ship that is approximately 80 m long and has a helicopter pad on its stern. This or a sister ship can also be seen at Assab in imagery taken on 21 September 2015.

Although a ship matching this description has not previously been identified in open sources as being in service with any navy, the same vessel or a sister ship can be seen in Google Earth satellite imagery of the UAE’s new naval base in Dubai on two different dates.Read more