The Vice President was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai….reports Asian Lite News
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, toured the 16th edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2023), at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
The Vice President was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
“The impressive defence capabilities of the UAE and the progress of our defence industry reflects our commitment to upholding the values of peace and human unity as well as our determination to maintaining our nation’s sustainable progress and protecting it from all threats to its security and integrity,” said Sheikh Mohammed.
Congratulating the organisers on the success of the event, Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the emergence of IDEX as one of the world’s leading defence industry exhibitions over the last three decades.
He visited the stands of various participating companies both from the UAE and across the world including the pavilion of Edge, the UAE’s largest defence conglomerate, and Tawazun Council, the organisation mandated to oversee the regulations, standards and governance for the defense and security industry in the country.
He was briefed on the cutting-edge innovation in defence technologies and manufacturing displayed at IDEX 2023 and recent developments in the industry. With more than 1,350 companies from around the globe participating, the 2023 edition of IDEX has seen a 50 percent growth from the previous edition held in 2021.
The current edition of the event is expected to attract 130,000 visitors, a 209 percent growth from 2021. The 16th edition of the event features the participation of 180 national companies, who represent 16 percent of total exhibitors. The UAE pavilion, spanning an area of 24,000 sq. m, is the largest at the event.
Sheikh Mohammed met with Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, and Acting Minister of Defense of Kuwait, on the sidelines of IDEX 2023.
Dh5.8bn deals on Day 3
Tawazun Council signed 9 deals, worth AED 5.7 billion, with local and international companies on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, and two deals worth AED 134 million on behalf of Abu Dhabi Police on the third day of the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX) 2023, bringing the total number of contracts signed today to 11, with a total value of AED 5.8 billion.
This makes the cumulative value of the deals announced so far AED 18.44 billion for 34 deals.
The announcement was made during a press conference held by Tawazun Council’s official Spokesmen Majed Ahmed Al Jaberi and Zayed Saeed Al Meraikhi.
Zayed Al Meraikhi said, “The total number of contracts Tawazun Council signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence were 9 contracts with a total value of AED 5.7 billion. They include 4 local companies, with a total value of AED 5.05 billion, while the number of contracts signed with international companies has reached 5 contracts with a total value of AED 694 million.
“We will continue to work alongside the Ministry of Defense, security agencies, and Abu Dhabi Police,” he added.
The biggest contract- worth AED 4 billion, was awarded to Earth, a subsidiary of Edge Group to develop tactical data link network. Another contract, worth AED 1 billion, was signed with Edge Group’s subsidiary Halcon to procure Al Tariq system.
A contract worth AED 28 million was signed with International Diving Trade to provide technical support to the boats workshop.
An AED 27 million contract was signed with International Golden Group to procure scanning and monitoring devices.
The international contracts on Day 3 included two with France’s Thales, one is worth AED 176 million to provide technical support for the GM-200 radars and the other is an AED 6 million contract to provide technical support and training on CMS.
The other two signed contracts were an AED 407 million contract with the French company Naval Group, to procure Anti-Torpedoes’ CANTO systems AND mu-90 torpedoes.
Also signed is an AED 68 million contract with the US company Kaman to procure a proximity fuze and a contract worth AED 37 million with Frequentis AG of Austria to develop operation center.
Al Jaberi detailed the two AED 134 million deals signed on behalf of Abu Dhabi Police, including a contract worth AED 62 million with Leonardo of Italy to procure AW139 Helicopter and an AED 72 million contract with Nimr, a subsidiary of Edge Group, to procure Ajban vehicle 4X4.