ABU DHABI: The UAE is buying 224 advanced version missiles from Raytheon Co. for its F-16 Block 60 fighter aircraft, said P.T. Mikolashek, president of Raytheon Middle East & North Africa, yesterday at the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) that was opened by President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.
The UAE and the US government have executed a letter of offer and acceptance for the purchase of Raytheon’s AIM-120 C-7 missiles, equipping the UAE with the most advanced version of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air missile (AMRAAM).
“The value of the deal is sizeable and deliveries will start mid to late 2011,” he said. He declined to state the value of the deal.
“The Middle East market, including the Gulf, remains very viable and credible. There is confidence in their ability to drive on their acquisition schemes,” said Mikolashek.
Earlier this month Raytheon announced a $246 million contract for the UAE to provide spare parts for the new Patriot systems that Raytheon is building. Raytheon is also developing a laser-guided rocket program for the UAE.
“Security needs are still important to them as much as the global downturn,” said John Ward, a vice-president at Lockheed Martin.
“We have not seen any slowdown in any of the projects in this region that we are working on,” he said.
In December last year the UAE became Lockheed’s first Middle Eastern customer and the fourth international customer for the PAC-3 Missile after a deal was finalized. Lockheed expects in excess of $1.8 billion in PAC-3 Missile-related business over the life of the initial UAE program, Ward said.
IDEX 2009 opened with a record 897 companies from 50 countries and over 150 official delegations from around the world participating. The 9th edition of the IDEX, one of the world’s largest events of its kind, will run through Thursday and is expected to attract more than 45,000 visitors, including top defense officials from various countries of the world.
