UAE unveils plans for major new military rescue training centre

A new $50 million rescue and security training centre is to open in the UAE in 2028, offering high-risk mission training for military and emergency teams from Europe, the Middle East and beyond

A multi-million-dollar security and rescue training centre aimed at military, emergency and law-enforcement teams is to be built in the United Arab Emirates, with its backers describing it as the first commercial facility of its kind in the world.

The Security and Rescue Training Center, due to open in the first half of 2028, is being developed by investment firm Sahra Group in partnership with simulation and aircrew training specialist AMST Group.

The facility will be designed to provide mission-based training for international militaries, special forces, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services and police, as well as other customers from sectors including tourism, oil, gas and energy.

Backers said the centre would combine helicopter emergency response and OPITO training in one commercial site, using helicopter hoist systems, fast-roping and rappelling towers, helicopter underwater egress trainers and maritime vessel simulators to recreate high-risk scenarios that would be difficult or unsafe to stage live.

The centre will include helicopter simulators suspended on cranes, fast-vessel simulators and a water pool for rescue and emergency egress exercises, with training intended to mimic medical evacuations, water rescues, natural-disaster response, counter-terrorism operations and high-speed boat missions.

Sahra Group and AMST said the project would involve an investment of AED180 million, or about $50 million, and would have capacity to train up to 4,500 personnel a year across the army, navy, special forces, civil defence, police, coastguard, medical and fire services.

The companies said simulated training would allow teams to train around the clock in conditions including darkness, rotor downwash and high noise levels, while reducing dependence on real aircraft and vessels.

They said the shift away from live helicopter training could also cut costs sharply. According to the announcement, real helicopters can cost up to $10,000 an hour to hire, fuel and operate, while the centre’s helicopter simulators would run at a fraction of that cost and cut carbon emissions per hour by more than 99 per cent compared with real flight.

Jamal Alkaf, chief executive of Sahra Group, said: “This facility represents a significant investment in the future of mission-critical training and positions the UAE at the forefront of global capability development, especially for defense. As the first facility of its kind, it brings together advanced simulation, integrated environments, and full-spectrum training in a way that simply does not exist today.

“Beyond its immediate impact, the SRTC is designed as a scalable platform for growth – capable of expanding its training offerings, technologies, and international partnerships over time. Our vision is not only to set a new benchmark for operational readiness, but to establish a global center of excellence that will attract organizations from across the region and around the world seeking the highest standards in safety, sustainability, performance, and efficiency.”

The companies said helicopters are involved in more than 1,000 rescues each year, but argued that conventional live training is costly, weather-dependent and inherently risky. They said simulation could allow trainees to gain up to 10 times more experience than live helicopter training over the same period.

Wolfgang Lindlbauer, Senior Business Development Manager at AMST Group, said: “In every rescue, operation or critical response, the margin for error is measured in seconds – and in lives. This new facility will eliminate uncertainty by recreating the most demanding real-world conditions in a controlled, repeatable environment. 

“Here, teams will master intense and hazardous scenarios, from complex helicopter hoist operations to high-risk water rescues and rapid deployment techniques. It will enable key personnel to build instinct, precision, and confidence to take forward into the field. The training starts with the basics and ends with the trainee completing mission simulation, very similar to reality.

“By combining advanced simulation with mission-based training, we are making world-class preparation safer, more accessible, and more cost-effective, ensuring that every crew member, responder, and operator is equipped to perform when it matters most.”

Sahra Group and AMST said work on the project was under way, with completion and official opening scheduled for the first half of 2028.

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_{Main image: Artist’s impression of the Security and Rescue Training Center planned for the UAE, a new facility aimed at military, police and emergency training. Credit: SRTC}