ABU DHABI -- EPI, the cornerstone of precision engineering in the UAE's aerospace, oil gas, and defence industries, today announced they had been contracted to produce prototype aluminium and assembly parts to the Coyote programme for Raytheon, an RTX business.

The announcement was made during the Dubai Airshow, which will conclude today at Dubai World Central.

EPI is part of the Platforms Systems cluster within EDGE, one of the world's leading advanced technology groups.

As part of the first contract awarded to EPI by Raytheon, EPI will supply prototype quantities of machined aluminium and assembly parts for the Coyote® Counter-UAS interceptor, including manufacturing, complex machining, special processes and surface treatments, quality assurance, and sub-assembly of the parts and their materials.

The agreement supports the 'Make it in the Emirates' initiative, a comprehensive plan for developing the UAE's industrial sector and enhancing its role in stimulating the national economy. It follows a Memorandum of Understanding with Raytheon Emirates announced during this year's International Defence Exhibition (IDEX).

Michael Deshaies, EPI CEO, said, "We are very proud to be collaborating with Raytheon, as our bespoke manufacturing services are uniquely equipped to supplement their international supply network. This contract also represents a significant step in our goals to expand our machining portfolio, localise national manufacturing capabilities, and increase the threshold for 'Made in the UAE' exported parts."

"We're thrilled to team up with EPI on our Coyote localisation programme," said Fahad Al Mheiri, MD of Raytheon Emirates. "This partnership aligns with our 'Make it in the Emirates' commitment, bolstering UAE's industrial sector. We believe EPI's precision manufacturing will be pivotal to both our Coyote work and the UAE's goal to strengthen key industrial sectors."

EPI manufactures high-quality complex engineering components for the defence, aerospace, and oil gas (OG) sectors and is equipped with advanced capabilities and cutting tools to carry out manufacturing engineering, machining, surface treatment, coating, repairing, and assemblies.