Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed at Day 2 of the UAE SWAT Challenge 2026: A Showcase of Tactical Excellence and Global Cooperation
Dubai, UAE — 9 February 2026 — His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council, attended the second day of the prestigious UAE SWAT Challenge 2026 at the Training City in Al Ruwayyah, Dubai, marking another highlight in one of the world’s leading tactical competitions.
The UAE SWAT Challenge — now in its seventh edition — brings together elite tactical and special police units from around the world to compete in complex, high-intensity scenarios that test skill, coordination, decision-making and operational readiness.
Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed UAE SWAT Challenge 2026 and Global Tactical Participation
Sheikh Mansoor was welcomed by Lieutenant General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, along with senior law-enforcement officials and commanders of tactical units from participating countries.
A total of 109 tactical and special police teams from 48 countries are taking part in this year’s challenge — an increase in both scale and diversity, reflecting the event’s growth and rising international stature.
Day 2 Focus: “Hostage Rescue” Scenario Challenge
A key highlight of Day 2 was the “Hostage Rescue” challenge — designed to simulate a critical real-world operation requiring precision, teamwork, and rapid tactical response:
- Each participating team began with a sniper engaging a target from an elevated tower, demonstrating marksmanship and situational awareness.
- Following this, the remainder of the unit entered a mock structure, navigating multiple rooms while engaging simulated hostiles and working together to extract a heavy dummy representing a hostage under timed conditions.
- The scenario tested not only marksmanship and strength, but also coordination, communication and real-time decision-making — essential skills for effective rapid-response units.
Sheikh Mansoor’s Remarks and Vision
During his visit, Sheikh Mansoor praised the organisation and execution of the event, especially the efforts of Dubai Police, operating under the UAE Ministry of Interior, in hosting a global tactical competition of this scale.
He highlighted several key aspects:
- Growth and excellence: The challenge has grown year after year, successfully raising the bar for tactical proficiency and international cooperation.
- Expertise exchange: The event provides a unique platform for elite units to share operational insights, best practices and emerging techniques.
- Strengthening preparedness: By confronting dynamic, realistic scenarios, participating teams can better prepare for evolving security threats and complex risk environments facing communities around the world.
- Global cooperation: Beyond competition, the event fosters collaboration, mutual learning and professional bonds among international tactical professionals.
More Than a Competition: A Forum for Tactical Excellence
The UAE SWAT Challenge is not simply a sporting or exhibition event — it serves as a knowledge-sharing hub for counter-terrorism, crisis response and urban tactical operations. Teams participating span all continents, bringing together varied strategies and highlighting a collective commitment to enhancing public safety, operational readiness, and rapid-response capability.
The event’s structure includes multiple themed challenges over its five-day span, each estimating different aspects of tactical proficiency — from endurance and marksmanship to coordinated team maneuvers and stress-testing under simulated crisis conditions. Its open-to-public format also invites spectatorship, allowing civilian audiences to appreciate the complexity and skill involved in modern rapid-response operations.