AMMAN - The Special Operations Forces Exhibition (SOFEX) 2010 concluded Thursday, with more deals announced by Jordanian companies.
The agreements included a memorandum of understanding between Jordan's King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) Investment Group (KIG) and the Maryland-based LWRC International LLC to conduct exploratory discussions for the establishment of a manufacturing facility in Jordan for the production of LWRC M6 Assault Rifles.
Under the memo, the two parties have also discussed manufacturing other LWRC products and accessories to be marketed locally and in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Also at the exhibition, the KIG signed a deal with the Turkish company ASELSAN to establish the Jordan Electro-Optics Company to manufacture night vision and thermal imaging systems. The agreement entails designing, developing, manufacturing, marketing and supplying the systems in Jordan and the region, as well as conducting maintenance, testing and qualification of the products.
During the exhibition, KADDB signed an agreement with the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) worth $102 million under which it will provide the armed forces with a variety of equipment.
KADDB also signed agreements worth JD80 million with the Public Security Department, Civil Defence Department and General Directorate of Gendarmerie for supplying security equipment and systems.
Within the framework of the exhibition, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence Industry and KADDB affiliate NP Aerospace Jordan signed two contracts Wednesday on joint production, the Azerbaijani news agency, APA, reported.
Azerbaijan's Minister of Defence Industry Yaver Jamalov, who signed the agreements with NP Aerospace Managing Director Nabil Issa, told APA that according to the first contract, body armour will be produced in Baku together with the Jordanian company, while the second contract is connected with the production of helmets.
"Jordan and Azerbaijan have perfect relations. Our cooperation is developing; the contracts prove this," Jamalov said.
According to the minister, talks continue on cooperation with the military companies of Jordan in several aspects, and contracts will be signed on other projects soon.
In a press conference at the expo Thursday, French Defence Minister Herve Morin called on French companies working in the field to take part in SOFEX, commending the event.
The French official expressed his country's keenness to increase cooperation with Jordan, which he said plays a significant role in bringing peace to the region.
© Jordan Times 2010
