US-based Raytheon Company and Al Marakeb, a leading UAE-based boat builder, have announced their intent to establish a joint venture to provide unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for use in marine defence and international security.

Raytheon Company is a technology and innovation leader specialising in defence, security and civil markets throughout the world.

USVs have become an important countermeasure as the uncertainty about origins of threats, potential attack sites, and means by which they might be transported have increased, said a statement from the company.

The companies will develop a set of USV products that include a variety of H-series boats, surveillance buoys and target/commercials boats, it added.

Chris Davis, president, UAE Raytheon International, said: “We have been working in the UAE for nearly 35 years. This agreement underscores our ongoing commitment to support and expand the Emirati industrial, educational and technology base.”

“We are confident that this partnership will close a number of technical gaps that are critical to the future of USV sub-systems and systems,” he added.

Basel Shuhaiber, CEO, Al Marakeb, said: “This project came to creation several years ago, and the USV has been in continuous development since 2009. It made its first debut as a UAE manufactured, operational model at the International Defence Exhibition [Idex] in 2015.”

“This year, our company is pleased to have partnered with an established body in the field of defence technologies and international security, and we look forward to embedding their global expertise in meeting further technical capabilities and expanding our operations in the region and further afield,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service