UAE national technical experts receive hands-on defense manufacturing training in South Africa

As part of Tawazun Holding's ongoing commitment to build local defense manufacturing capabilities, UAE national employees from Tawazun Dynamics LLC, the Abu Dhabi-based manufacturer of precision guided systems for air munitions, have returned to the UAE following intensive specialist training in South Africa.

The 8-month training course was hosted by Denel, South Africa's largest government-owned defense manufacturer with support from the local partner, Tawazun Dynamics. The Emirati employees received instruction in the area of manufacturing assembly and integration of precision-guided systems for conventional air munitions.

The program was designed to equip the technicians with all the necessary skills to assemble and integrate Tawazun Dynamics' flagship product, "Al Tariq" system, through 9 different modules. Each module addressed the different stages of the manufacturing process from the initiation safety awareness to the final "Al Tariq" testing.

Hamad Al Marar, General Manager of Tawazun Dynamics, said, "Capability building and knowledge transfer efforts are two of the critical foundation pillars needed to allow Tawazun Dynamics to realize its potential. Our aspiration to build a globally-leading specialist business in its field goes hand in hand with our desire to build a local workforce with world-class expertise and standards. Through the right partnerships and application, we aim to support the development of a young generation of Emirati professionals who have both the technical skills needed to contend in the global defense industry marketplace as well as to provide the UAE with a strong base of national industry experts who will help lead and inspire the generations which follow."

Reflecting on his experience, one of the Tawazun Dynamics trainees, Mohamed Al Blooshi, commented, "This training was a great learning opportunity and we found the work environment to be extremely engaging and motivational. The courses were truly comprehensive and helped develop our skills on a professional as well as on a personal level."

Another trainee, Yaser Al Hosani said, "We see this training as a very important step in our career development path. We are honored to have been selected and feel a great responsibility to bring back the gained knowledge and expertise, share them with our colleagues, and work towards matching the best international standards in defense manufacturing locally here in the UAE."

The training is part of Tawazun Holding's on-going employee development program which is designed to build home-grown UAE-based defense manufacturing capability through the development and empowerment of local technical experts, as well as sharing expertise across the strategic manufacturing sector to support a culture of innovation and world-leading quality standards.

Tawazun Dynamics was established in September 2012, when Tawazun Holding announced its partnership with the Dynamics division of Denel. The resulting joint venture, Tawazun Dynamics, is operating the Middle East's first and largest facility for the development, manufacture, assembly and integration of precision-guided systems for conventional air munitions. Tawazun Dynamics is 51% owned by Tawazun Holding and 49% by Denel.

Along with all other Tawazun Holding subsidiaries, Tawazun Dynamics will be showcasing its products under the Tawazun pavilion at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) 2013, taking place February 17-21 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).