UAE signs USD 1.42 bn defence deals

Abu Dhabi, Feb 18 (AFP) The United Arab Emirates said today it signed 17 defence contracts to purchase military equipment worth USD 1.4 billion including US manufactured Predator drones. The contracts were signed during the ongoing International Defence Exhibition & Conference, IDEX. "The total value of today's contracts has reached 5.2 billion dirhams" (USD 1.42 billion), said Staff Major General Obaid al-Ketbi, chairman of IDEX, which is held every two years in Abu Dhabi. Speaking to reporters on the second day of Middle East's biggest defence show, Ketabi said the deals include a USD 196-million contract agreed with US firm General Atomics for the purchase of Predator drones with complete integrated logistic support systems. He said the UAE armed forces also signed an agreement with the US-based Oshkosh firm worth USD 381.5 million to purchase all-terrain military vehicles. Another deal to purchase Turkish CIRIT laser-guided rockets worth USD 196.2 million was also signed, he added. Oil-rich UAE invests heavily in defence, just like most other Gulf states that are mainly wary of potential hostilities from neighbouring Iran. (AFP) SAI 02182318 NNNN