The Tawazun Council awarded contracts worth Dh2.7 billion ($735 million) on the fourth day of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, with local companies landing most deals.
The procurement arm of the UAE Armed Forces and Abu Dhabi Police signed 10 contracts, of which four deals worth Dh1.5 billion were awarded to international companies, Zayed Al Meraikhi, the council's spokesman, said on Thursday.
Local companies won six contracts worth Dh1.2 billion.
Among the local companies awarded contracts was Norinco, through International Golden Group, to provide the AR3 multiple-launch rocket system, rockets and in-country services for Dh902 million.
Other UAE companies to secure contracts include Earth, a division of Edge Group, which clinched a deal valued at Dh91 million to supply thermal cameras for guns.
International Golden Group secured another deal, to provide vessel communication systems with technical support services and logistics services, worth Dh24 million.
Among international companies, European missile maker MBDA won a deal to procure Mica missiles for Dh1.26 billion. Mica is a multi-mission air-to-missile system that is in service with the French Air Force and Navy and several foreign forces, according to MBDA's website.
The UAE also signed a contract with Colorado-based Kaman Precision Products to procure ammunition fuses for Dh165 million, while Harris International will provide technical and training services on C4I systems for Dh79 million. Italy's Leonardo secured an order to procure C4I system spare parts for Dh36 million.
The UAE Armed Forces and Abu Dhabi Police signed deals worth Dh21.14 billion in the first four days of Idex, organisers said.
Gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia are developing their military production capabilities to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
The move is intended to diversify economies away from the oil sector, create more jobs for citizens and attract highly-skilled employees.
The transfer of advanced technology and technical know-how from international partners to local companies will become part of offset and procurement regulations and are likely to be reflected in deals signed at Idex, industry analysts said.
The largest defence spenders in the GCC, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have "considerable defence-industrial ambitions", so higher government revenues from a rally in oil prices may enable them to make investments in defence-related research and development to bolster domestic production capabilities, Fenella McGerty, a senior fellow for defence economics at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said in a blog post.
WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
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Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
