Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced at last week’s International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) that it will be adding significant resources in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in support of the country’s defense forces.
The company’s Land Electronics business unit has signed a teaming agreement with UAE-based International Golden Group PJSC (IGG). The partnership brings together one of the UAE’s premier defense companies with a leading U.S. technology company to deliver wide-ranging projects for the country’s military forces.
As part of the agreement, Leonardo DRS will establish a new engineering and support facility in IGG’s Industrial Park in Abu Dhabi to assist new projects for the Emirati forces and includes the hiring and training of locals to fill new high-tech manufacturing positions.
The new projects that Leonardo DRS and IGG expect to collaborate on include advanced communication systems integration in support of various tactical C4I projects, and on-board vehicle power systems which provide combat vehicles with up to 120kw of mobile electrical power for complex C4ISR systems, mobile command posts, radars, weapon systems and other power-hungry expeditionary capabilities.
“We are proud to be supporting the Emirati forces with advanced technology and a strong local partner in the International Golden Group,” said Bill Guyan, Vice President and General Manager of Leonardo DRS Land Electronics business unit.
“Additionally, the United Arab Emirates and the United States have a robust military relationship, and we are eager to work with IGG to provide the guidance, technology and support required to increase interoperability between the U.S. and Emirati forces, allowing them to strategically operate more closely,” he added.
The agreement deepens an existing long-term relationship with the UAE Government while adding the strength of a strong and well-resourced Emirati business partner.
“The recent growth of the Leonardo DRS Land Electronics business in the U.A.E. has produced this natural next step. We are proud to lay down enduring roots and a strong business presence. We remain committed to the success of our UAE customer and UAE Vision 2021,” Guyan concluded.
Leonardo DRS is a prime contractor, leading technology innovator and supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and defense contractors worldwide. Its Land Electronics business unit Provides C4I Network computing and integrated situational awareness, as well as state-of-the-art embedded diagnostics, vehicle power management and combat vehicle integration products and services.
Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, USA, Leonardo DRS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leonardo S.p.A.
International Golden Group PJSC (IGG) is one of the UAE leading companies specialized in the business of marketing, importing, exporting, purchasing and resale of military and special products and related services including development and modernization of those products. IGG has established itself as a capability and service provider in the area of integrated platform; weapon; and ammunition system solutions; advanced technology sub-system development solutions; industrial capability development; upgrade programs and service solutions.
With the changing order of creating a home grown defense industry, IGG has progressively allocated resources by facilitating the development of new business opportunities by tailoring and fast tracking established technologies into integrated, customer driven product solutions.
As a prominent player in the development of the local defense industry, IGG stands committed to facilitate the process of local industrial participation.
