By Sheena Amos
ABU DHABI: The 13th edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference, Idex and fourth Naval Defence Exhibition, Navdex, concluded today with a cumulative of 90 deals worth over Dh19 billion signed to buy arms and defence systems for the UAE Armed Forces.
The event was organised in association with the UAE Armed Forces, from February 19 to 23, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Navdex held alongside Idex, featured a purpose built exhibition hall, Adnec Marina for visiting naval ships, a pontoon for small crafts, daily water demonstrations and an outdoor display area.
On the final day, eight new deals worth over Dh344 million were signed, Naval Staff Colonel Fahed Nasser Al Thehli, Official Spokesperson of Navdex, announced at the daily regular press briefing.
He said that five of the deals were signed with the national companies and remaining three with international companies. Staff Brigadier-General Rashid Mohammed Al Shamsi, Official Spokesperson of Idex 2017 was also present.
Naval Staff Colonel Fahed Nasser Al Thehli announced the following UAE Armed Forces contracts: An Dh30 million contract was signed with the UAE based company, International Golden Group (IGG), to supply metal sheets in order to repair airport runways. A deal worth over Dh25.8 million was sealed with the UAE based company, Sony Solutions, to equip the new media centre with technical and engineering works.
A contract worth Dh10 million was concluded with UAE based company Mohamed Abdulrahman Al Bahar for maintenance and repair works for Caterpillar machinery. UAE Armed Forces also penned a contract valued over Dh55 million with the Turkish company, FNSS Savunma Sistemleri A.S., to provide technical support.
A deal was concluded with Beltech Export FZE, a Belarusian company, for Dh110 million to provide technical support to the UAE forces.
The spokesman announced that an Dh45 million worth contract was signed with the UAE based company, Tasneef, to technically support all classification procedures. A contract valued at Dh58.8 million was signed with the UAE based company Emirates Centre for Al Imdad, to provide technical and logistical support to UAE Armed Forces.
A contract valued Dh9. 2 million was sealed with the German based company, IMS High- Tech, to purchase ammunition for the UAE Armed Forces.
During the press conference, Staff Brigadier-General Rashid Mohammed Al Shamsi, also announced that the UAE Armed Forces signed three contracts with Nimr Automotive for 1,750 armoured vehicles.
Nimr will deliver 1,500 Jais 4×4 and 6×6 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as more than 150 Hafeet 630A artillery support vehicles in both Observation and Command and Control configurations and 115 Ajban 440A vehicles equipped with anti-tank guided missile systems to the UAE Armed Forces from 2018.
The past four days are split as follows on day one of Idex and Navdex, 21 deals worth more than Dh4.416 billion were signed, day two witnessed 10 new deals worth more than Dh6.9 billion, day three witnessed 31 new deals worth more than Dh4 billion and on day four twenty new deals worth more than Dh3.4 billion were signed.
One thousand two hundred exhibitors and more than 101,000 visitors from across the globe participated in Idex 2015, with signed deals amounting to well over Dh18.3 billion