UAE orders weapons worth $692 million at arms show

The United Arab Emirates announced on Monday the award of military contracts worth 2.54 billion dirhams (692 million dollars), mostly to local companies, during the IDEX 2009 defence show. Two other deals still under negotiation would be worth over 469 million dirhams (128 million dollars), IDEX spokesman General Obeid al-Ketbi told reporters on the second day of the region's largest arms fair.
The total value of orders announced by the UAE forces at the exhibition, including the two under negotiation, is just over three billion dirhams (819 million dollars), he said.
Local company Abu Dhabi Ship Building has won two contracts to supply 12 vessels and renovate 12 others, for a total of 935 million dirhams (255 million dollars), Ketbi said. French group Thales Communication was awarded two contracts worth 329.6 million dirhams (89 million dollars) for signalling equipment and to supply its SOTAS communication system for Leclerc tanks.