His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, issued a federal decree promoting His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, to the rank of Lieutenant General.
The promotion was announced by the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday.
This month, Sheikh Hamdan celebrated the first anniversary of his appointment as Minister of Defence. Sheikh Hamdan, who has served as Dubai’s Crown Prince since 2008, was also named as one of the UAE’s deputy prime ministers.
In May 2025, Sheikh Hamdan attended a ceremony held in the Abu Mureikha area in Abu Dhabi to mark the 49th anniversary of the unification of the UAE Armed Forces.
Commenting on the occasion, His Highness said the unification of the UAE Armed Forces is a momentous national occasion on which the people of the UAE reflect with pride on the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the contributions of the Founding Fathers who laid the foundations of unity, reinforced the pillars of the Union, and cemented the principles that continue to guide the nation’s progress.
The decision on May 6, 1976, to establish a unified military command provided the nation with a robust defence foundation and reinforced its standing at the regional and international levels.
