At IDEX 2023, the International defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, EDGE, UAE Defense Group entity, HALCON, a regional leader in the design and production of guided weapons systems and beyond, has signed a contract worth $548 million with the UAE Armed Forces to supply short-range guided munition systems.
EDGE Halcon Thunder short-range guided munition systems displayed at IDEX 2023. (Picture source Army Recognition)
The new contract will provide the UAE Armed Forces with HALCON’s THUNDER P3 LIGHT precision-guided munitions (PGMs). The P3 Light is designed to integrate into the MK series of general-purpose aerial munitions and under the contract, will be fitted with a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker.
Saeed Al Mansoori, Senior Vice President of ADVANCED CONCEPTS, said, “Our THUNDER P3 LIGHT PGMs will provide the UAE Armed Forces with a cost-effective air strike capability. The addition of a semi-active laser seeker will also provide enhanced accuracy against threats. It gives us great pride to be fulfilling these operational requirements as we seek to continue to provide innovative solutions for the UAE Armed Forces.”
The THUNDER P3 LIGHT is part of HALCON’s THUNDER line of cost-effective, short-range guided munition kit systems that convert the MK series of general-purpose aerial munitions into precision-guided munitions (PGMs) with increased range and precision accuracy.
The contract is in line with EDGE and HALCON’s commitment to the UAE Armed Forces in providing advanced systems and solutions that meet mission requirements and ensure the safeguarding of the UAE.
HALCON is part of the Missiles & Weapons cluster within EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defense groups.
ADVANCED CONCEPTS is a new business unit within EDGE that is dedicated to the design and deployment of advanced, innovative technologies. Complementing existing EDGE capabilities in developing, producing, and commercializing new products, ADVANCED CONCEPTS focuses on accelerating the rapid development of critical innovation projects from concept definition and technical feasibility stage (TRL6+) to detailed engineering design, before handing these projects back to EDGE’s large portfolio of companies for industrialization and commercialization.
