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United Arab Emirates Air Force to Equip Its Airbus MRTT fleet with Elbit Systems J-MUSIC

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United Arab Emirates Air Force to Equip Its Airbus MRTT fleet with Elbit Systems J-MUSIC

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United Arab Emirates Air Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT)
United Arab Emirates Air Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT)

Elbit Systems Ltd. announced today that its subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”), Elbit Systems Emirates Limited (“Elbit Systems Emirates”), was awarded an approximately $53 million contract to supply Direct Infrared Countermeasures (“DIRCM”) and airborne Electronic Warfare (“EW”) systems for the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft of the UAE Air Force. The contract will be performed over five years. Elbit Systems views the UAE as an important market and believes that this contract award further highlights the technological advantage and maturity of the solutions offered by the Company in this field.

Under the contract, Elbit Systems Emirates will deliver a multi-turret configuration of the J-MUSIC™ Self-Protection System together with the Company’s Infra-Red-based Passive Airborne Warning System, providing high levels of protection and redundancy. The Company’s DIRCM systems have accumulated more than 350,000 operational flight hours to date, and are installed on board more than 25 types of aircraft. The Company is witnessing a growing demand for this type of self-protection capabilities in light of the rising threat that aircraft face from shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.

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Pilots from Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet checking out the Elbit Systems J-MUSIC DIRCM turret. Photo credit NSPA
Pilots from Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet checking out the Elbit Systems J-MUSIC DIRCM turret. (Photo by NSPA)

The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. A total of 12 nations have placed firm orders for approximately 60 aircraft. In 2007, the United Arab Emirates announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus to purchase three A330 MRTTs. A contract was signed with the UAE in February 2008. On 14 November 2021, United Arab Emirates ordered two additional Airbus A330 MRTT. With deliveries starting in 2024, this agreement will also cover the upgrade of the country’s current A330MRTT fleet to the latest enhanced version.

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of defense, homeland security, and commercial programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (“C4ISR”), unmanned aircraft systems, advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, signal intelligence systems, data links and communications systems, radios, cyber-based systems, and munitions.

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