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pressures, evolving protocols, travel restrictions, program run in partnership with the UAE Space
and local outbreaks impacting operations. How Agency that trained 17 young Emiratis in 2016
does LM manage this situation? and the Unmanned Aerial Systems Payload
While there have been some slowdowns in certain areas, we have Design Challenge with Mubadala in 2017-2018.
invested heavily in protecting our global supply chains and deployed In 2020 we launched a UAE-designed project
proactive measures to position ourselves for the fastest possible to develop a breakthrough AI neural network to
recovery. drive efficiencies in aircraft inspection.
We are accelerating payments to small and vulnerable suppliers to Also, please detail upcoming
continue meeting customer commitments. In Q1 2021, we accel- projects between the UAE and LM
erated payments worth roughly US$430 million every week to in the near future. [ INTERVIEW LOCKHEED MARTIN ]
support the operations of our supply chain partners. Since March Our technology offering in the UAE is grow-
2020, when COVID-19 disruptions began, we have supported over ing to include groundbreaking capabilities in
11,250 suppliers, including more than 6,900 small businesses, energy, cybersecurity, and space solutions that
across 48 countries worldwide.
align with the country’s economic diversifica-
What are the long-term growth prospects for LM tion vision.
in the region?
Our regional partners are increasingly focused on building sov- What goals do you have for your
ereign capabilities through localisation initiatives. They want to company, and what challenges will
ensure that the next generation of local talent can thrive, innovate, you have to overcome?
and develop cutting-edge technology, in addition to operating and We are driven by a passion for technology and
maintaining their systems and equipment. We have been the trend- innovation to shape the future of defence and
setter in the region in supporting this goal and have expanded our security. We aim to continue investing heavily in
industrial partnership and human capital development efforts to R&D and collaborating with leading universities
play our part. We are proud of our role in growing and maturing and research organisations to develop tech-
local capabilities and have trained over 100 local engineers who nological breakthroughs that address major
are interested in joining the aerospace and defence industry. global challenges.
We will also continue to develop advanced platforms to help our
partners successfully operate in an increasingly unpredictable Advancing STEM education is also a critical
threat landscape. Our drive to connect the most advanced tech- focus for Lockheed Martin globally as well as
nologies is already producing results, which makes us very excited locally. Training and mentoring an increasing
for the future. number of students and young engineers to run
the programs we provide is at the core of our
Are you expecting an increase perhaps in one strategy. For instance, in the UAE, we leverage
specific area, such as – but not limited to – the our CISS to build a strong pipeline of capable
missile defence sector, or are you playing multiple young engineers and scientists as the most
scenarios and building multiple plans? important element for the future of the defence
We are industry leaders in all domains. Integrated missile defence industry. Through empowering the next gener-
is crucial for our allies in the GCC region, and so is air power and ation of Arab talent, we are helping our Emirati
connectivity. partners transition from a hydrocarbon-based
economy to a knowledge-based economy.
Could you please throw some light on your
strategic partnership with the UAE over the Lastly, what plans to expand LM’s
last few years? What are the most prominent/ commercial (non-defence) offering
notable areas of cooperation and current projects in the region in line with global
between the UAE and LM? expansion plans?
Lockheed Martin has been a trusted defence partner to the UAE With several countries in the region pursuing
government for over 40 years. During this time, we have moved ambitious energy diversification and conser-
beyond the defence industry to provide the UAE government and vation drives, we see significant potential in
its commercial partners with guidance to expand their capabilities our targeted, flexible, affordable, and effective
and localise industry services and manufacturing. energy management solutions. These include
long-duration, large-capacity energy stor-
We leverage our experience as a global innovation leader to lead age, such as our GridStar Flow battery that
in-country training that inspires the next generation of UAE talent to delivers durability, flexibility, and safety with a
realise the country’s economic diversification goals. Our projects in competitive total cost of ownership, as well as
this regard include the Center for Innovation and Security Solutions safety-critical instrumentation and control (I&C)
(CISS), launched in 2014 at Masdar City, a space fundamentals systems.

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