Tawazun Council, the entity responsible for managing acquisition and procurement for the Ministry of Defence to maximise value through acquisition systems, announced that the UAE Air Force and Air Defence Command has expressed intention to purchase 40 B-250T trainer aircraft for aviation training purposes from the Emirati company Calidus Aerospace.
The signing took place at Calidus Aerospace Pavilion in Dubai Airshow 2023, in the presence of Shareef Hashim Al Hashimi, CEO-Operation of Tawazun Council; Khalifa Al Balushi, CEO of Calidus Aerospace; alongside representatives of the MoD and officials from both sides.
Faris Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Calidus LLC, expressed his pride in what the UAE defence industry has accomplished. He said, “The national military industry has developed in an amazing way within the framework of the long-term strategic vision of President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.’
Muammar Abdulla
Abushehab, CEO at Tawazun Council, said, ‘This step bodes well with the enormous expansion experienced in the UAE’s defense and aerospace industries. It demonstrates our leadership’s wise vision for national industrial products with the highest quality standards and competitiveness. We at Tawazun Council are committed to working with our strategic partners to boost the UAE’s defense capabilities in line with strategic priorities and to drive continuous innovation, while realising the country’s strategic objective of building a future-ready defense sector.’
Khalifa Al Balushi thanked the wise leadership for the trust bestowed on the national companies and Emirati talents and their abilities to manufacture the latest flight systems and platforms. This achievement is the result of the strategy followed by the wise leadership to support and develop national defense industries, he added.
Al Balushi revealed his company’s plans to develop future manufacturing capabilities in the aircraft industry, Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles, air defense systems, and technology transfer, as well as the applications of artificial intelligence in the fields of aviation and manufacturing. ‘This will enable the company grow into one of the region’s leading companies in aerospace and aviation industry, while qualifying national cadres to indigenise this vital industry in the country.’
All phases of design, development and manufacturing of the aircraft, unveiled for the first time at Dubai Airshow 2023, are fully completed inside the UAE, with a robust Emirati workforce, in cooperation and coordination with the Air Force and Air Defence Command of the UAE. The B-250T aircraft is one of the latest aircraft equipped with sophisticated technological systems in the domain of training pilots and is on par with its counterparts.
The Calidus B-250T aircraft features a modern, advanced structural design, which consists of an ultra-strong carbon fibre body with advanced avionics and systems. The B-250T platform delivers optimised training whilst achi
eving the desired pilot endurance levels. The unique aerodynamic design of the B-250T allows for outstanding aerobatic manoeuvrability and exceptional performance. The aircraft is equipped with a sophisticated fifth-generation cockpit found in modern combat aircraft.
The intelligently designed Ground-Based Training System (GBTS) is one of the most important features of this aircraft as it ensures highly efficient and effective learning on flight simulation systems to ensure qualification for air training. The B-250T allows for various advanced simulations and functionalities including radar, sensor, mission system management, air-to-air and air-to-ground and day and night operations.
Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)