ABU DHABI, 22nd February, 2023 (WAM) – EDGE Group entities, EPI, the precision engineering backbone of the UAE’s aerospace, oil & gas, and defense industries, and LAHAB DEFENCE SYSTEMS, a regional leader in the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of medium and large munitions, have signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with Raytheon Emirates, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, to explore potential collaboration.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the ongoing International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2023) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
Under the MoU, the organisations will seek to align their production goals and contribute to Raytheon's global supply chain. The collaboration will prioritise the development of advanced technology products, such as the Coyote Interceptor, and their subsequent components and services. EPI will potentially provide manufacturing engineering, machining, surface treatments, equipping, and sub-assembly, while LAHAB will explore payload assembly contributions.
Speaking on the agreement, EPI CEO Christian Ziehe, said, “EDGE is proud to be exploring a collaboration with Raytheon Emirates, as our advanced manufacturing services are well equipped to complement their international supply network. This mutually beneficial agreement goes a long way toward enhancing indigenous manufacturing capabilities. As we endeavour to facilitate Made in the UAE products, we believe our unique services will allow for localising components and achieve streamlined, regional production.”
Fahad Al Mheiri, Managing Director of Raytheon Emirates, said, “Aligning with established and capable local companies like EPI and LAHAB DEFENCE SYSTEMS will be a critical success factor for Raytheon Emirates as we look to coproduce our Coyote Counter-UAS interceptor here in the UAE. Raytheon’s global supply chain will be strengthened through partnership with the UAE’s robust defence industrial ecosystem.”
Raytheon Emirates is committed to continue developing the UAE's defense industry in areas of advanced technology, such as the Coyote Interceptor.