Abu Dhabi: The Nato Missile Firing Installation (Namfi) is offering its facility in Greece to the UAE and other Arab nations to test their weapon systems, Nato officials told Gulf News on the sidelines of the ongoing International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex-2011) here on Tuesday.
Major General George A. Somaras said upon acceptance that Namfi offers a 50 per cent discount to users the first time on the overall cost of testing.
"Since the end of the Cold War, around nine countries which aren't Nato members have conducted tests at Namfi.
"As well, several companies have used Namfi's range for target testing and testing weapons systems," Somaras added.
"Namfi offers high quality services in complete safety and in an economic way," said Commander Panos Kallergis.
Evaluating weapons
Countries need a range to evaluate a weapons system, conduct training and firing in a controlled environment and Namfi provides all of that, he added.
"At Namfi, all types of missiles can be tested —surface to surface, surface to air and air to air," said Kallergis.
In June 1964 the multilateral agreement on the use and operation of Namfi was signed by Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway and the US.
All firings at Namfi's range are conducted over a sea area 166 kilometres long and 87 kilometres wide.
US-based integrated defence systems provider Raytheon plans to deliver the first set of components of the Patriot air and missile defence system to the UAE this year.
In December 2008, the UAE and the US signed an agreement under which the UAE will get delivery of the Patriot system in a $3.3 billion (Dh12.11 billion) deal.
The Patriot delivers a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather system to defeat advanced threats, including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
