A press release from Boeing today announces that the United Arab Emirates have agreed to order six new Boeing C-17 aircraft over the next few years to increase the Middle Eastern nation’s humanitarian and emergency rescue efforts. The order makes the United Arab Emirates the second Middle Eastern nation to order C-17 aircraft. The planes will be delivered in 2011 and 2012.

Financial terms of the deal were not made available.

“The C-17 will give the UAE the ability to perform a variety of humanitarian and strategic lift operations around the world in support of both national and international missions,” said Major General Staff Pilot Faris Mohamed Al Mazrouei. “These missions require us to be ready for any contingency at any time and any place, and the C-17 meets our requirements.”

Boeing vice president of Global Mobility Systems also issued a statement.

“Boeing is pleased that the UAE Air Force has selected the C-17 to meet its airlift requirements for the 21st century,” she said. “The C-17 consistently posts mission capability rates that are among the best in the world, earning it high marks for its industry-leading quality and reliability.”

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is produced almost entirely in Long Beach, providing upwards of 5,000 jobs to the area. The program was nearly cut this year when the Department of Defense debated whether or not to renew orders for the aircraft, however in recent months there has been a significant push towards ordering new aircraft and keeping the assembly line moving.