ABU DHABI – In a move that heavily reinforces a Middle East trend toward domestic production of military vehicles, NIMR Automotive, a subsidiary of Emirates Defense Industries Company (EDIC), has sold 1,750 of its flagship combat vehicles to the UAE armed forces.
Under the contract, announced at the International Defense Expo (IDEX), NIMR will deliver 1,500 JAIS 4×4 and 6×6 infantry fighting vehicles, more than 150 HAFEET 630A artillery support vehicles and another 115 AJBAN 440A vehicles equipped with anti-tank guided missile systems to the UAE Armed Forces beginning in 2018.
The deal caps a banner year at IDEX for NIMR, which unveiled both the JAIS 6×6 and the Rapid Intervention Vehicle. It also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Czech manufacturer VOP CZ for the marketing, distribution, production and after-sale support of NIMR armored vehicles to the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.
“We are delighted and proud to have been selected to support the UAE Armed Forces expand its capability with our best-in-class military vehicles and technology,” said Fahad Saif Harhara, CEO of NIMR. “These vehicles sit at the cutting edge of military technology, combining our proven platforms integrated with complex mission equipment. These agreements represent an important milestone in our company’s history.”
Formerly the N35, the JAIS is a mine-protected, multi-purpose fighting vehicle, which features 60 percent greater protected space and payload capacity over traditional designs, according to NIMR. NIMR classifies the vehicle as mine-resistant, ambush protected, with the survivability rating of a U.S. MRAP.
”The evolving nature of asymmetric warfare and prolific use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFP) has driven the evolution of the MRAP vehicle, specifically the need for increased ballistic protection whilst maintaining mobility,” the company said. “The vehicles represent this evolution and places NIMR at the forefront of modern MRAP design.”
JAIS is also highly modular, a common feature of many new armored combat vehicles on display at IDEX. It can be reconfigured into multiple mission variants on the same platform, including an infantry fighting vehicle, armored personnel carrier, ambulance, command and control, engineering and recovery.
“The UAE’s decision to expand its current fleet of NIMR-made vehicles is testament to the standards and increased capability our products. The JAIS, HAFEET and AJBAN range are combat-proven and will continue to protect lives of our soldiers on the battlefield,’’ Harhara added.
The vehicles will be produced at NIMR’s new 37,500-square meter facility, the largest military vehicle manufacturing facility in the Middle East and North Africa. The vehicles were selected for their high-mobility and advanced protection elements which enhance crew survivability against attacks from roadside IEDs, anti-tank mines and ballistic threats.