Dubai Airshow: Abu Dhabi's Edge Group unit Halcon wins Dh3.2B UAE Armed Forces deal

Abu Dhabi-based Edge Group’s unit Halcon, which produces precision-guided weapons, on Monday won a Dh3.2 billion contract from the UAE Armed Forces on the second day of the Dubai Airshow 2021.

The contract involves the supply of its Thunder and Desert Sting range of precision-guided munitions to the Armed Forces. Halcon is part of the missiles and weapons cluster within Edge, an advanced technology group for defence and beyond that ranks among the top 25 military suppliers in the world.

It’s the second major contract won by Edge Group’s subsidiary at the five-day Dubai Airshow 2021, which began at Al Maktoum International Airport on November 14.

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On day one of the airshow, the UAE Air Force and Air Defence (Afad) awarded a Dh11 billion contract to Edge Group’s subsidiary GAL for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and specialised support services.

Halcon’s Thunder range consists of different variants of aerial munitions all based on the same technology building blocks. While Desert Sting is a lightweight guided weapon with a custom-designed warhead that operates with a Halcon-designed stores interface unit (SIU) and can be deployed on multiple weapon racks on aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

“At Dh3.2 billion, this is a significant contract on a global scale for this type of weapons system. It is with a great sense of responsibility for having been entrusted with this undertaking that we move ahead in confidence that the performance of our systems will fully justify the UAE Armed Forces trust in us,” said Saeed Al Mansoori, CEO of Halcon.

-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE