UAE to start exporting its own armoured vehicles

The UAE government awarded three major contracts to one of its own arms manufacturers to build 1,750 new armoured vehicles at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

The UAE ordered 1,500 JAIS 4-wheeled and 6-wheeled infantry fighting vehicles from NIMR Automotive, a subsidiary of the Emirates Defense Industries Company (EDIC), in addition to a fleet of anti-tank and artillery support vehicles.

"These agreements represent an important milestone in our company's history," said Dr. Fahad Saif Harhara, CEO of NIMR.

Harhara is also an advisor on the Tawazun Economic Council, a government project launched in 1992 to diversify the UAE economy and increase domestic production.

NIMR represents the latest step in the UAE government's plans to become an arms producer, instead of a major buyer.

"NIMR has been quite ambitious in setting up several joint ventures  over the years - including with Jordanian and Turkish companies," said Frank Slijper, policy advisor at Pax.

NIMR signed a new joint venture at IDEX with the Czech manufacturer VOP CZ for the marketing, distribution, and production of NIMR armoured vehicles to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Tawazun is reportedly also in talks with the European arms manufacturer, MBDA, to create a university research program in missile design.