Defense Updates: UAE signs 750 MRAP deal and other contracts worth $1.42 billion

Thursday, February 21, 2013

UAE signs 750 MRAP deal and other contracts worth $1.42 billion

The United Arab Emirates has signed 17 contracts worth 5.2 billion Dirham or roughly $1.42 billion, including:

a 1.4 billion Dirham or $381 million contract with the Oshkosh Corporation from the United States for the delivery of 750 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs) in 2013
a 722 million Dirham or $196 million contract with General Atomics for export Predator XP unmanned aircraft
a 720 million Dirham or $196 million contract with Tawazun for the purchase of CIRIT laser guided missiles
a 472.7 million Dirham or $128.7 million contract with Russia’s KBP for the delivery of ammunition
a 375.4 million Dirham or $102.2 million contract with the Abu Dhabi Ship Building Company for the installation of Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM)
a 140 million Dirham or $38 million contract with the Italian Fincantieri to provide technical support for naval vessels it recently acquired

The M-ATV is lighter, smaller and more maneuverable than previous generation MRAP vehicles, while maintaining their levels of protection with its Plasan composite armored hull. The vehicle has a:

length of 6.27 m
width of 2.49 m
speed of 105 km/hr
range of 510 km
maximum weight of 14700 kg

The Oshkosh M-ATV has been selected by the armed forces of the United States as its primary MRAP vehicle.

The Predator XP is an export version of the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The Predator has:

a length of 8.22 m
a wingspan of 14.8 m
a height of 2.1 m
an empty weight of 512 kg
a max takeoff weight of 1020 kg
a max speed of 217 km/hr
a max range of 1100 km
a max endurance of 24 hrs

The Predator XP cannot be armed, but is suitable for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

The CIRIT is an air-to-surface missile developed by Turkey's RoketSan for helicopters and UAVs. The missile has:

a length of 1.9 m
a diameter of 70 mm
weighs 14 kg
a warhead of 3 kg
a maximum range of 8 km

The CIRIT is fitted with a semi-active laser-guided seeker.

Earlier this month, the UAE received the first of 3 A330 MRTT multi-role tanker and transport aircraft it ordered from Airbus. The UAE is also negotiating the potential purchase of the Typhoon or Rafale fighter aircraft, but no contract has been signed.

http://gulfnews.com/business/general/uae-armed-forces-sign-17-deals-1.1147973