UAE Armed Forces sign agreements worth Dh3.955b at Idex

To buy helicopters, rifles, ammunition, spare parts and radar system to detect planes

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Armed Forces entered into agreements on Tuesday worth Dh3.955 billion that include helicopters, rifles, ammunition, spare parts and radar system to detect planes.

UAE Armed Forces signed a contract with Tawazun dynamics to purchase ultra-precision guided ammunition at a cost of Dh1.530 billion. This was the biggest deal announced on Tuesday.

In other big agreements, UAE army and Emirates Advanced Research and Technology Holding (Earth) announced a new contract for the development of the Oshkosh machinery (M-ATV) and technical support and maintenance through providing spare parts and services. The contract is valued at Dh864 million.

US-based Oshkosh in 2013 had supplied UAE Armed Forces with 750 armoured vehicles at a cost of Dh1.4 billion.

Armed forces will be getting 80,000 modern assault rifles named CAR 816 from Caracal International for Dh763 million. They also signed a deal with an Anglo-Italian manufacturing company Augusta Westland NV to procure nine helicopters at Dh732 million.

Six of these helicopters will be used for search and rescue and the remaining for VIP use, organisers said.

Rheinmetall air defence will supply maintenance spare parts for maintenance services and repair for Skyguard cannon system for Dh34 million.

In another important deal, the UAE army will purchase and assemble an aerial radar to detect planes from the UK based Raytheon systems for a total contract of Dh11 million. The army also reached an agreement with the France based Thales Communication and Security for technical maintenance, repair and support devices for Dh21 million.

Speaking at the conference Major General Obaid Al Ketbi said UAE based companies are manufacturing high quality products and many parties are interested in buying the equipment.

“Many countries want to obtain them,” he said.

When asked about the deal of purchasing 80,000 rifles, he said it is based on the long-term strategy of defence spending.

The five-day exhibition will end on Thursday. A number of global companies are participating in the event.