Abu Dhabi: US-based Textron Systems is planning to deliver more than hundred military vehicles in Afghanistan and Iraq this year as fighting rages in the two countries, a top executive of the company told Gulf News.
“We are actively delivering vehicles in the region currently including 58 vehicles to Iraq and around 50 vehicles are expected to be delivered for Afghanistan,” said Jonathan Dalrymple, vice-president, business development of Textron Systems. The total value of the contract for Iraq is $70 million (Dh256.9 million).
The company has delivered around 110 vehicles in Afghanistan and Iraq last year for Afghan National Army and Iraqi Ministry of Interior respectively.
Dalrymple said they have historically sold thousands of vehicles in the region including in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries.
“This is one of the most important regions that we sell into and historically sold into. When we look at our strategy, the Middle East is the most important region. Our vehicles are currently in fight against Daesh.”
Some of the new technology that’s coming down the road is specifically meant to meet customer demand in the region, he said.
“We have a range of lethality options including our own thirty millimetre turret that is coming later in the year to meet Middle Eastern demand and we are targeting the UAE, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kuwait markets.”
The company is in talks with the UAE government to deliver some of their vehicles. The company has opened an office in Abu Dhabi two years ago to target the UAE market and sell some of their vehicles.
“Some vehicles are of great interest to the presidential guards and some other units in the UAE. We are hoping to deliver some vehicles in future.”
The company expects changes in the policy of the current US administration that will allow defence companies to export more arms in the Middle East and in Africa.
“We expect to see some changes in export policy for certain countries and perhaps policy and military decisions that are just for the region. Countries that wouldn’t have been able to receive certain type of turret get that type of turret now and that opens doors for more exports.”
