UAE- Boeing Defense Space and Security hopes to expand EDIC partnership

9/18/2015 4:10:25 AM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)Boeing Defense Space and Security or BDS hopes to expand its partnerships with Emirates Defence Industries Company or EDIC in the future BDS President and chief execuive offiver Christopher M. Chadwick said on Wednesday.

EDIC - jointly controlled by Tawazun and Mubadala - is a merger of the military organisations of Mubadala Tawazun and the Emirates Advanced Investment Group which was launched in December 2014 with 11 acquisitions from the three firms to which it has since added five companies.

Speaking to a media delegation visiting from the Middle East Chadwick said that Boeing is currently in discussions with EDIC to explore how to further develop the relationship between the two companies.

"We're just starting that dialogue and relationship. We think that will be very strong" he said. "The key there is to find where we can leverage their strengths and our strengths and their customer's needs the country's needs. Those are some of the folks that we will be talking to when we're at Dubai (at the airshow)."

"We have regular conversations and we'll have to see how that plays out" he added. "But definitely there will be huge opportunities. Very smart move by UAE (to establish EDIC) and we look forward to growing that relationship as we go forward."

In June one of EDIC's subsidiaries Tawazun Precision Industries or TPI and Boeing broke ground on a new aerospace surface treatment facility for metallic parts in Abu Dhabi which is expected to become operational in 2016.

"That's one example of where we have found partnerships in UAE that can strengthen us and our industry partners in the aerospace arena" Chadwick said. "We continue to have discussions with them and with Mubadala looking for new opportunities where we can move forward together. As we do that there will be additional opportunities we can talk about at some point in the future." Chadwick added that Boeing is keen to explore ways in which Boeing might take part in the UAE's space programme.

"We do have ongoing discussions to see where there might be opportunity for Boeing to participate" he said noting that Boeing's Space Launch System can provide heavy-lift capability to transport cargo and manned missions to Mars.

Bernd Debusmann Jr. Originally from Mexico City I've been in Dubai since January 2015. Before arriving in in the UAE I worked as a general news reporter in TV and print in Mexico City NYC and Washington DC. I'm interested in defence issues politics technology aviation and history. In my spare time i enjoy traveling and football - I'm a keen fan of Chelsea FC. I developed an interest in the Middle East traveling through Jordan and the West Bank. I have a BA in Political Science from Dickinson College in the USA and an MA in International Journalism from City University London.

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