Chief Executive for Raytheon Emirates to « AL JUNDI » In cooperation with the UAE we invest in talent

As Raytheon Technologies Corporation‭, ‬an American multinational aerospace defence conglomerate‭, ‬and one of the largest aerospace‭, ‬intelligence services providers‭, ‬and defense manufacturers in the world‭, ‬has long‭- ‬standing relationship and cooperation with‭ ‬the UAE that have extended for over 30‭ ‬years‭, ‬Al Jundi Journal met with Mr‭. ‬Alan Davis‭, ‬Chief Executive for Raytheon Emirates Ltd‭. (‬REL‭) ‬based in Abu Dhabi and discussed with him capabilities of their company‭, ‬their cooperation with the UAE‭, ‬their contribution to deal with regional and international‭  ‬threats‭, ‬and some other related issues‭.‬

Can we have an overview about the nature and aims of the merger between Raytheon and United Technologies‭?‬

The merger of Raytheon Company and United Technologies in April 2020‭ ‬created the world’s most advanced aerospace and defense systems provider called Raytheon Technologies‭. ‬The new company‭, ‬Raytheon Technologies‭, ‬serves customers worldwide‭, ‬including in the UAE and Middle East‭, ‬through a platform-agnostic‭, ‬diversified portfolio of industry-leading businesses‭. ‬Raytheon Technologies is made up of four businesses‭ ‬–‭ ‬Raytheon Missiles and Defense‭ (‬RM&D‭), ‬Raytheon Intelligence and Space‭ (‬RI&S‭), ‬Collins Aerospace‭, ‬Pratt‭ & ‬Whitney‭. ‬Raytheon Technologies is 50‭ ‬percent commercial and 50‭ ‬percent defense as well as 50‭ ‬percent international and 50‭ ‬percent U.S‭. ‬domestic‭.‬

What kind of capabilities does your new conglomerate plan to develop‭?‬

Raytheon Technologies expects to introduce breakthrough technologies at an accelerated pace across high-value areas such as hypersonics‭, ‬directed energy‭, ‬avionics and cybersecurity for commercial aerospace and defense‭. ‬

What will be the impact of this conglomerate on the defence market internationally and regionally‭ (‬the Gulf region‭)?‬

The combined company can now bring technologies and capabilities together to support programs and customers like never before‭. ‬One technology area that will benefit significantly from the merger is communications‭, ‬both in the military and commercial markets‭.‬

On the military side‭, ‬we are bringing Raytheon’s expertise in secure military networks‭, ‬command and control and cybersecurity together with Collins Aerospace’s expertise in tactical communication devices embedded within weapons systems‭. ‬This combination will allow us to better develop‭ ‬communications systems that are more integrated and more interoperable‭, ‬which defense customers have identified as one of their‭ ‬real challenges today‭.  ‬Our solutions‭, ‬next generation software-defined radios‭, ‬advanced sensors and navigation solutions‭, ‬empower the intelligent or connected battlespace of today and tomorrow‭.‬

Additionally‭, ‬there are similar synergies on the commercial side‭. ‬Nearly anything that flies commercially uses Collins’‭ ‬radio communications‭, ‬and Raytheon has the capabilities to integrate those communications into other systems‭, ‬like air traffic‭ ‬control networks‭. ‬By bringing these together‭, ‬we can optimize airspace management‭.‬

How will this conglomerate affect your cooperation and relationships with the UAE‭, ‬its emerging military industry‭, ‬and enhancing‭ ‬capabilities of its armed forces‭?‬

Raytheon Technologies is bringing product and technologies here to the UAE to support our customers’‭ ‬needs and economic growth‭. 

With this merger‭, ‬we can leverage the capabilities‭, ‬scalability and power of Raytheon Technologies and its subsidiaries‭, ‬including all the capabilities that Collins Aerospace‭ (‬also with a local presence in the UAE‭) ‬and Pratt‭ & ‬Whitney bring‭ — ‬twice the portfolio to build the business‭, ‬develop the local knowledge base‭, ‬develop leaders and grow the UAE economy‭. 

Which defence fields or areas are you targeting to develop after synergizing your technologies‭? ‬Any future surprises‭? ‬Are we going to see new capabilities or systems‭?‬

The combined company can now bring technologies and capabilities together to support programs and customers like never before‭, ‬including advanced data analytics and AI‭, ‬cyber solutions‭, ‬communications‭, ‬multi-domain battlespace‭, ‬and air dominance‭.‬

What is your response and solutions to the hypersonic threats‭, ‬to the cyber-attacks‭, ‬and to drone swarming attacks‭, ‬such as the‭ ‬ones the Gulf region is confronting‭?‬

Our Gulf customers are looking for help to meet their evolving mission requirements‭. ‬Solving the tough problems is what we do and have been doing in this region for more than 50‭ ‬years‭. ‬

High-energy laser weapon systems have best-in-class sensors and deep magazines‭, ‬enabling detection of threats‭, ‬tracking during maneuvers‭, ‬and positive visual identification to defeat asymmetric threats with precision and efficiency‭. ‬And Raytheon Technologies’‭ ‬layered approach to CUAS includes a mix of advanced radars‭, ‬directed energy and kinetic effectors to ensure that the warfighter‭ ‬can utilize the optimal sensor‭ & ‬effector‭, ‬in a wide range of operational scenarios‭.‬‮ ‬‭ ‬

The solutions for countering drone attacks still very costly‭, ‬do you have any plans to develop more affordable solutions‭?‬

When compared to other weapon systems‭, ‬the operational costs of our high-energy laser weapon system‭, ‬from logistical support to‭ ‬training‭, ‬are very low‭. ‬The cost-per-shot is minimal‭ – ‬less than the price of a cup of coffee per engagement‭. ‬‮ ‬Furthermore‭, ‬our‭ ‬laser weapons feature deep magazines that can be recharged with a standard generator‭. ‬‮ ‬As for the cost of the systems themselves‭, ‬technology requirements and technical baselines have been evolving at a rapid rate‭.‬‮ ‬‭ ‬As this rapid prototyping evolution settles and we move toward higher quantity production‭, ‬costs of the systems will drastically decrease‭.‬

What does the UAE mean to Raytheon Technologies‭?‬

We have been working with the UAE for over 30‭ ‬years‭. ‬Our commitment to working with UAE industry reflects our shared values and‭ ‬a mutual desire to grow business in support of the UAE’s economic‭, ‬defense and aerospace ambitions‭. ‬

What are the challenges and how do you meet them‭, ‬esp‭. ‬Corona‭? ‬

Raytheon Technologies has nearly 100‭ ‬years of combined expertise‭, ‬including more than 50‭ ‬years of success in the Middle East‭. ‬Our ability to keep pace and align our R&D with relevant upcoming threats and subsequent market effects has played a major role in‭ ‬this success‭. ‬While no one could have predicted this pandemic‭, ‬we were able to react fast by accelerating use of our existing technology and finding new derivatives we could adapt to our business‭.‬

How do you assess your cooperation with the UAE‭?‬

Raytheon Emirates has strong industry relations with industry partners such as Tawazun‭, ‬Mubadala‭, ‬and EDGE‭. ‬We see opportunities‭ ‬to partner with EDGE in all their business segments‭, ‬particularly in the areas of effectors‭, ‬electronic warfare systems and cyber security‭. ‬Collins Aerospace and Pratt‭ & ‬Whitney work closely with industry partners to help build a regional defense and aerospace industry‭.‬

In which domains is your cooperation with UAE best reflected‭?‬

One of the areas in which Raytheon Technologies is cooperating with the UAE is in investing in talent‭. ‬The company employs approximately 450‭ ‬people in the United Arab Emirates‭, ‬including Emiratis‭, ‬primarily as part of Raytheon Emirates and Collins Aerospace‭. ‬Raytheon Technologies is also committed to supporting and enriching communities in the UAE by providing science‭, ‬technology‭, ‬engineering and mathematics‭ (‬STEM‭) ‬educational opportunities and investing in the local workforce‭.‬

Furthermore‭, ‬Raytheon Technologies is actively engaged with the UAE manufacturing and supplier eco-system to partner locally‭, ‬contribute to supplier jobs and help strengthen industrial capabilities and diversify the nation’s economy‭. ‬

The Gulf region market is witnessing a fierce competition‭, ‬what makes your products attractive to potential customers‭?‬

With our added scale post-merger‭, ‬Raytheon Technologies is in a position to immediately address the priorities of our commercial‭ ‬and defense customers faster and more efficiently than ever before‭. ‬We have 60,000‭ ‬engineers and scientists across key R&D areas‭ ‬–‭ ‬providing us with one of the best technology portfolios in the world‭. ‬The combined company can now bring technologies and capabilities together in support of programs and customers in the UAE like never before‭.‬

How can our armed forces benefit from your solutions and what capabilities can they add to them‭?‬

We are working with customers and local partners in the UAE and GCC on customized solutions that meet their specific mission needs‭. ‬We are now able to offer twice the portfolio of capabilities as the combined Raytheon Technologies company with complementary capabilities from across Raytheon Emirates‭, ‬Collins Aerospace and Pratt‭ & ‬Whitney‭. ‬

Would you like to send any message through Al Jundi Journal to the defence community in the UAE and the GCC‭? ‬

Raytheon Technologies is committed to our presence and investment in the UAE and GCC‭. ‬We continue to reinforce this with our focus on STEM activities in country to train the next generation of technology workers‭, ‬our local partnerships and our overall contribution to the UAE’s economic growth‭.‬

 

Interviewed by‭: ‬Mohamed Fahed AL Halabieh

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