Abu Dhabi: The UAE signed 17 defence contracts totalling Dh5.2 billion, Major General Obaid Al Ketbi, Chairman of the organising committee for the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex 2013), said on Monday.
Al Ketbi said that Idex 2013 saw the UAE Armed Forces sealing defence contracts worth Dh1.4 billion with Oshkosh Corporation. The American company will provide 750 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs).
John Urias, former major general of US Army and executive vice president of Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh Defense, told the Gulf News that his company is scheduled to deliver M-ATVs to the UAE between January and August 2013,
“No vehicle has been more effective in supporting ground operations from urban security patrols to combat in harsh desert and mountainous terrain. As we produce and deliver this exceptional vehicle to the UAE Armed Forces, we are equally committed to providing long-term service and to supporting those who rely on our M-ATVs to achieve their missions,” he said.
He added that Oshkosh is in talks with other countries in the region which showed their intention to purchase this kind of vehicles.
However, he declined to name the countries.
Al Ketbi said that the UAE Armed Forces also signed a Dh722 million contract with International Golden Group, a UAE company, to purchase unmanned aircraft of the so-called Predators with all integrated logistics support.
He added that the UAE also signed a Dh472.7 million contract with Russian KBP to buy ammunition. A Dh720 million contract was also signed with Tawazun to purchase laser guided missile.
Other deals include a contract with Booz and Company for consultation and logistics worth Dh215 million and another worth Dh350 million for information and IT support with International Golden Group, SAP and IBM.
While Abu Dhabi Ship Building Company has announced a deal worth Dh375.4 million to install RAM missiles on its vessels, Knowledge Point a local company has entered into a Dh345 million consultancy deal with the armed forces for land forces support amounting to Dh345 million. A Dh56 million deal with Hanwha Corporation, a Korean company, to provide the UAE Armed Forces with ammunition and explosives was also signed yesterday.
In addition, a Dh30 million deal was signed with Naval Advanced Solutions, a local company, to provide technical support for vessels. Two other deals, a Dh140 million deal with Italian Fincantieri to provide naval vessel and a Dh12.8 million contract with Al Mawqe’ Company, a local company, to provide communications for the UAE Armed Forces.
Other deals concluded were a Dh11.7 million contract with Al Jisr Company, a local company, to provide the UAE Armed Forces with chemical equipment; a Dh46.3 million deal with CEFA, a French company, to provide spare parts and Dh27.2 million contract with Atlas Corporation to provide telecommunication technologies. The seventeenth was Dh157 million with UAE-based Ammroc, to provide electronic devices for C130 aircraft.
