Emirates Defense Industries Company, EDIC, an integrated national defence services and manufacturing platform, has announced the establishment of Barij Munitions, specialising in providing world-class ammunition products and services.

The company will be a manufacturer of all kinds of ammunition, including small arm, infantry, artillery and air-craft munitions.

Announcing the formal launch of the company on the second day of IDEX 2017, Abdulateef Al Butih, CEO of Barij Munitions, said that the company is manufacturing ammunition for the UAE Armed Forces. "95 percent of the ammunition is produced for the UAE GHQ, and rest for others in the region," he said, adding, "We produce 14 new products, and they vary from small and medium to large size. These products are 100 percent made in UAE, we are just importing the raw material from outside."

The company is a key component in strengthening the UAE’s defence industry, giving it a greater capacity to support the transfer of technology and know-how, and support ammunition manufacturing industry needs, he said.

"Barij Munition's vision is to be a leader in ammunition development by delivering cutting-edge products and services to better serve the UAE Armed forces", said Al Butih. He added that adhering to international standards of safety and quality through automation and manufacturing using world-class practices is Barij Munitions top priority."

Answering a question about Emiratisation in the company, he said that employment of Emiratis is one of the company's top priorities. "We have 16 percent Emirati work force in the company, and the ratio of men to women is 60 - 40."

Sara Al Shorouqi, Executive Director, Group Communications, Emirates Defence Industries Company, who was also present during the press conference, said that there were 16 subsidiary companies under the umbrella of EDIC. "And now we have 14 companies after the merger of Burkan Munitions Systems and Caracal Light Ammunition into Barij Munitions."

Barij has many services on offer, such as de-militarisation, to safely dispose of munitions facilities, dismantling ammunition, cutting projectiles, removal of explosives from projectiles and disposal of both rocket motors and smoke ammunitions. The company also offers screening services and testing by which to examine different types of ammunition and materials, such as mortars, artillery shells, grenades and smoke generators.

Barij’s portfolio includes laboratories which have been certified and licensed by the Ministry of Health of the UAE and holds ISO 17025 certification, a chemical laboratory that provides technical support and manufacturing requirements for quality testing of all explosives, environmental analysis of wastewater and monitoring air quality, and an X-ray laboratory which is accredited and licensed by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.