$0.5 billion of deals at UMEX 2022
$0.5 billion of deals at UMEX 2022
UAE Ministry of Defence announces AED 2.07 billion ($560m) worth of deals
UMEX 2022, the Middle East's unmanned systems exhibition and conference, shone a light on the future of defence this week as defence contractors, startups and high-ranking military officials converged on Abu Dhabi. According to the show organisers, the UAE's Ministry of Defence announced an estimated AED 2.07 billion ($560m) worth of deals during the event.
UAE Ministry of Defence deals include:
a contract worth AED 874 million ($238m) with Abu Dhabi-based International Golden Group (IGG) for drone systems. IGG's drone partners include China’s Norinco and Turkey's Baykar.
a deal of AED 639 million ($174m) with an Abu Dhabi-based company for technical support services, maintenance, repair and spare parts;
a AED 46.643 million ($12.7m) contract with US defence contractor Anduril Industries for trials related to an anti-drone system; and
a AED 26 million ($7m) contract with Abu Dhabi-based Star Satellite Communications Company for a communications system for a drone project.
The Ministry of Defence also plans to buy 12 L-15 Falcon fighter jets from China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation, a.k.a. CATIC, (contract pending). The deal would include the option to acquire 36 more in the future and would be the UAE's first with China for fixed-wing military aircraft.
More than 134 exhibitors from 26 countries attended UMMEX and the associated Simulation Training Exhibition (SimTEX), but it was undoubtedly Abu Dhabi's advanced technology group for defence Edge that stole the show with a number of high profile defence system launches.
Edge unveiled a new swarming drone system based on the Hunter 2 series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed by HALCON, a regional leader in the production and supply of precision-guided weapons and UAS. https://lnkd.in/ev9PACrY
Edge Group also launched its new AI-assisted Scorpio-B unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), which can be equipped with remote weapon systems, and used for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance). https://lnkd.in/e3SfG6rz
Lastly, Edge introduced its new 7IS Remote Control Weapon Station (RCWS), a two-axis, servo-controlled, stabilised system developed by HALCON. The vehicle-mounted 7IS RCWS provides the operator with a 360-degree coverage, providing an immediate and effective armed response to detected threats. https://nimr.ae/news/681
Also participating in UMEX are at least two firms that recently had their unmanned systems put to the test during this month's IMX 2022, the world's biggest maritime unmanned systems exercise in the world, which was held across the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet's area of operations:
Anduril Industries, developers of the GHOST-4 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions; and
AeroVironment, developers of the Switchblade one-way, mortar-fired unmanned aerial vehicle.
San Diego-headquartered AI and robotics defence systems firm Shield AI, which recently announced plans to open a new global office in Abu Dhabi, also exhibited at UMEX.
Find out more about UMEX 2022:
Watch YouTube videos from the exhibition and conference.
Check out the UMEX / SIMTEX website.