The Tawazun Council, the United Arab Emirates’ defense and security acquisitions authority, has agreed with RTX subsidiary Raytheon to produce the Raytheon Coyote with counter-unmanned aircraft system capability in the UAE. Al Romaithi, Tawazun Council defense and security industry affairs sector chief, and Fahad Al Mheiri, Raytheon Emirates managing director, were the signatories to the deal’s term sheet.
C-UAS production in the UAE will support the U.S. defense industrial base through the increased capacity and supply resiliency it will bring in a “high-demand mission area,” Al Mheiri said. The executive noted that the agreement also attests to the strong partnership between Raytheon and the Tawazun Council and their shared goal in driving innovation.
“This is more than just a manufacturing deal. It is a launchpad for future innovation between the U.S. and UAE defense sectors,” Al Mheiri said in an Asia Live report.
Collaboration With Defense Firms
Gulf News reported that the production of the Coyote C-UAS in the UAE follows a series of memoranda of understanding that Raytheon signed in 2023 to localize the drone.
Raytheon’s website describes the Coyote C-UAS as a “small, expendable and tube-launched” counter-drone weapon that can be used individually or in swarms. The U.S. Army uses it as a near-term tool against drones.
Boeing subsidiary Insitu is another U.S. defense firm with a stake in Abu Dhabi’s Tawazun Industrial Park. In December, it opened a UAS Center of Excellence at Tawazun to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the UAE military’s uncrewed aircraft systems.