Raytheon, Tawazun sign term sheet to bring Coyote counter-UAS production to UAE

An armored vehicle fires a Raytheon Coyote counter-drone missile. (Raytheon)

BEIRUT — The United Arab Emirate’s procuring authority, Tawazun Council, has signed a term sheet with Raytheon to coproduce the American firm’s Coyote counter-unmanned aerial interceptor systems in the Emirates.

The term sheet, signed Monday, takes a step forward after a 2023 initial cooperation agreement between both entities to localize the c-UAS technology in Abu Dhabi.

“This agreement supports the US defense industrial base by delivering increased capacity and resilience in a high-demand mission area,” Fahad Al Mheiri, managing director of local Raytheon subsidiary Raytheon Emirates, said on the company’s LinkedIn page.

“It’s a testament to the strength of our partnership with Tawazun and the shared vision to drive innovation and readiness through trusted collaboration,” he added.

The US Mission to the UAE said in a tweet that the term sheet signing was an “exciting step” and that the coproduction “strengthens the security of our countries and enhances our economic cooperation.”

Interest in c-UAS systems has ballooned in recent years as lethal loitering munitions and small surveillance platforms have become ubiquitous in the war in Ukraine, and have been involved to a lesser extent in attacks in the Gulf. In 2022 the UAE was struck with a drone and missile barrage from the Houthi rebel group operating out of Yemen.

Raytheon advertises the Coyote as a small, rail-launched missile powered by a turbine engine that can come in kinetic and non-kinetic variants, and is capable of being launched from land or sea.

Tawazun has been focusing on localizing defense production in the UAE, through joint ventures with international companies and through research and development agreements to work through its facilities in Tawazun Industrial Park. This agreement comes in line with the “Make it in the Emirates” initiative that pushes local defense production within the country.

Tawazun has inked other agreements with international companies like its agreement with Swedish Saab to produce radars and remote network masts, and with European MBDA for missile and loitering munitions local production.