ABU DHABI- United Arab Armed forces announced on Tuesday 5.9 billion dirhams ($1.61 billion) in defence equipment and services contracts signed with local and international companies.

The single largest contract was a 2.96 billion dirham deal with UAE's Yas Holding to supply the armed forces with missiles, said spokesman Naval Staff Colonel Fahed Nasser al-Thehli at Abu Dhabi's Idex defence exhibition.

Boeing was awarded a 112 million dirham contract for a C-17 transport aircraft simulator. A 66.4 million dirham contract was signed with France's Thales and a 40.7 million dirham deal with Germany's Rheinmettal  was also announced.

This week, the armed forces have announced 17.9 billion dirhams in deals, of which some had been previously disclosed by the manufacturer.

($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham)

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, editing by Louise Heavens) ((Alexander.Cornwell@thomsonreuters.com;))