Idex 2023: UAE unveils its first lightweight ammo box that is also fully recycleable

The first Emirati ammunition box named Kinana, made of fully recycleable local materials, has been unveiled.

At Idex 2023, the defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Tawazun Industrial Park (TIP) – the industrial development arm of Tawazun Council, presented the new light-weight product which is more than 68 per cent lighter than the traditional steel box.

Eng. Faiz Saleh Al Nahdi, managing director and CEO, TIP, underlined that the Kinana project aligns with Tawazun Council’s future plans to support the UAE’s defence supply chains with innovative solutions.

“The project seeks to enhance local content by manufacturing products made entirely in the country, in line with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology's initiative ‘Make it in the Emirates’, which aims to boost Emirati industries and manufacturing and support national companies,” Al Nahdi said.

Kinana has a built-in radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag for tracking and control, and it was manufactured from local materials provided by Abu Dhabi’s Borouge.

“This is a significant step forward for the UAE in encouraging sustainability and environmental stewardship in the country. Kinana is designed to meet military specifications, while remaining completely environmentally friendly. This lightweight plastic ammo box is created from local resources and is ideal for small, medium, and large arms, fireworks, explosives, countermeasures, flares, and weaponry.”

Al Nahdi noted that Kinana’s manufacturing is planned to begin soon, and the product is projected to have a big market influence.