From Aviation HQ@2:292/854 to All on Fri Aug 28 17:19:33 2026
The United Arab Emirates has built large grid-like drone cages around fuel tanks at the airports of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This is reported by various media in the region and can be seen on social media.
The cages are intended to protect critical energy infrastructure against potential drone attacks.
Construction began around May, following earlier drone and missile attacks. On March 16, an Iranian drone loaded with explosives struck a fuel tank at Dubai Airport. The attack caused a large fire and the airspace was temporarily closed. Arriving aircraft had to divert or turn back.
The cage structures are not strong enough to provide protection against Iranian ballistic missiles. However, they can help protect against short-range drone attacks. This is not the first time that metal cages and nets have been used to protect vital energy assets.
Russia has also been deploying these measures at its oil storage facilities for several years to protect them against Ukrainian drone attacks.