UAE awards $5.5bn in military contracts to intl firms

The United Arab Emirates awarded $5.5 billion worth of military procurement contracts during a defense show this week, with arms sales under scrutiny due to its role in Yemen’s war, Reuters said. The majority were awarded to international companies such as US firms Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. The UAE also awarded deals to firms from Russia, Turkey, Pakistan and South Africa at the five-day IDEX military exhibition. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are leading a coalition that is battling the Houthi movement to try to restore the internationally recognized government in Yemen, which was ousted in 2014.