Philip the Arab
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2018
- Messages
- 7,430
- Reaction score
- 6
- Country
- Location
IDEX 2021: HALCON signs contract for supply of Precision-Guidance Kit Systems to UAE Air Force Air Defence
HALCON, a regional leader in the production and supply of precision-guided weapons, announced the award of a AED 7 billion contract by the UAE Air Force Air Defence (AFAD) for its Thunder P32 and P31 (P3) range of precision guided munitions at the International Defence and Exhibition Conference (IDEX) 2021, taking place in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi between 21-25 February.
Thunder P-32 (Picture source: Halcon)
The P3 is a family of cost-effective, short-range, guidance kits that can be fitted to the Mk-82 (P-32) and the Mk-81 (P-31) general purpose aerial munitions. Thunder utilises inertial guidance augmented by global navigation satellite system (GNSS) information (GAINS). A semi-active laser (SAL) seeker configuration further improves accuracy performance against designated targets.
The latest contract is one of the largest ever issued by AFAD for this type of weapon and builds on an agreement for the supply of P3 Precision Guided Kits in 2017. The award also confirms the combat proven capabilities of HALCON’s family of guided missiles and the UAE AFAD’s preferences for it above competitor products from defence manufacturers in the US, Europe, and Israel.
Saeed Al Mansoori, CEO of HALCON, said: “At AED 7 billion, this is one of the largest contracts of its kind for this type of weapons system anywhere in the world. We feel a great sense of responsibility in having been entrusted with such an undertaking, and have full confidence that the performance of our P3 system will fully justify the UAE Air Force Air Defence’s trust in us.”
Thunder P-31 (Picture source: Halcon)
Thunder P-32 (Picture source: Halcon)
Following the AED 3.6 billion deal announced at the Dubai Airshow in November 2019, HALCON is also taking the opportunity to highlight significant developments within its Desert Sting (P2) family of precision guided munitions at IDEX 2021, showcasing how they have become among the most technologically advanced available.
The P2 family consists of different variants (distinguished by weight and warhead size) all based on the same technology building blocks. The weapons also employ GAINS guidance and semi-active lasers for accurate terminal guidance and moving target engagements. The weapons utilise a HALCON-designed stores interface unit (SIU) and can be deployed on multiple weapon (2 or 4) racks on aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles - independent of the level of integration with the aircraft.
Desert Sting- 35 (Picture source: Halcon)
HALCON now boasts autonomous tech capabilities in areas including guidance and control, navigation, aerodynamic design, weapon flight control computers, and servo systems. Most significantly, it has boosted its capacity to manufacture warheads locally through leveraging its own warhead and fuze design. The newly designed fragmentation product enhances P2 engagement capabilities by offering a wider radius of effectiveness.
LAHAB, a sister EDGE Group company, is charged with filling the warhead, which is manufactured in the HALCON production facilities at Tawazun Industrial Park, in Abu Dhabi.
HALCON is part of the Missiles & Weapons cluster within EDGE, an advanced technology group for defence and beyond that ranks among the top 25 military suppliers in the world.
@The SC @Titanium100 @Abu Dhabi
HALCON, a regional leader in the production and supply of precision-guided weapons, announced the award of a AED 7 billion contract by the UAE Air Force Air Defence (AFAD) for its Thunder P32 and P31 (P3) range of precision guided munitions at the International Defence and Exhibition Conference (IDEX) 2021, taking place in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi between 21-25 February.
Thunder P-32 (Picture source: Halcon)
The P3 is a family of cost-effective, short-range, guidance kits that can be fitted to the Mk-82 (P-32) and the Mk-81 (P-31) general purpose aerial munitions. Thunder utilises inertial guidance augmented by global navigation satellite system (GNSS) information (GAINS). A semi-active laser (SAL) seeker configuration further improves accuracy performance against designated targets.
The latest contract is one of the largest ever issued by AFAD for this type of weapon and builds on an agreement for the supply of P3 Precision Guided Kits in 2017. The award also confirms the combat proven capabilities of HALCON’s family of guided missiles and the UAE AFAD’s preferences for it above competitor products from defence manufacturers in the US, Europe, and Israel.
Saeed Al Mansoori, CEO of HALCON, said: “At AED 7 billion, this is one of the largest contracts of its kind for this type of weapons system anywhere in the world. We feel a great sense of responsibility in having been entrusted with such an undertaking, and have full confidence that the performance of our P3 system will fully justify the UAE Air Force Air Defence’s trust in us.”
Thunder P-31 (Picture source: Halcon)
Thunder P-32 (Picture source: Halcon)
Following the AED 3.6 billion deal announced at the Dubai Airshow in November 2019, HALCON is also taking the opportunity to highlight significant developments within its Desert Sting (P2) family of precision guided munitions at IDEX 2021, showcasing how they have become among the most technologically advanced available.
The P2 family consists of different variants (distinguished by weight and warhead size) all based on the same technology building blocks. The weapons also employ GAINS guidance and semi-active lasers for accurate terminal guidance and moving target engagements. The weapons utilise a HALCON-designed stores interface unit (SIU) and can be deployed on multiple weapon (2 or 4) racks on aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles - independent of the level of integration with the aircraft.
Desert Sting- 35 (Picture source: Halcon)
HALCON now boasts autonomous tech capabilities in areas including guidance and control, navigation, aerodynamic design, weapon flight control computers, and servo systems. Most significantly, it has boosted its capacity to manufacture warheads locally through leveraging its own warhead and fuze design. The newly designed fragmentation product enhances P2 engagement capabilities by offering a wider radius of effectiveness.
LAHAB, a sister EDGE Group company, is charged with filling the warhead, which is manufactured in the HALCON production facilities at Tawazun Industrial Park, in Abu Dhabi.
HALCON is part of the Missiles & Weapons cluster within EDGE, an advanced technology group for defence and beyond that ranks among the top 25 military suppliers in the world.
@The SC @Titanium100 @Abu Dhabi
