US Firm Raytheon Agrees To Equip UAE Armoured Vehicles With Rockets

US weapons maker Raytheon Co agreed with the United Arab Emirates on Monday to equip the oil-rich Gulf country’s armoured vehicles with Talon laser-guided rockets, a company official told Reuters.

“It’s a capability with a very meaningful demand from the community … not just for UAE’s needs but for developing capacity for the global market space,” John Harris, CEO of Raytheon International told Reuters on the sidelines of a defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

The firm did not give a contract value or say when delivery will begin.

Military vehicles produced locally by NIMR Automotive will be mounted with 16 Talon rockets, which was co-developed by Raytheon and Tawazun – an Emirati firm that is part of the state-owned defense company along with NIMR.

Tawazun, which makes firearms and also components for the aerospace and defence industries, won a UAE military contract in 2013 worth $117 million to procure Talon, which is now in full production.