Abu Dhabi Ship Building and Raytheon Company’s Missile Systems Business have entered the tenth year of partnership that began in 2006, when the two companies began integrating rolling airframe missiles onto the UAE's Baynunah class of ships.

The decade-old partnership could have a significant bearing on India as well, with Abu Dhabi Ship Building recently tying up with an Indian company.

Negotiations with IAF The partnership between the two entities could prove an upshot for India. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been negotiating the purchase of two intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft for about $350 million each from Raytheon, in order to boost its ground detection capabilities.

Sources indicated that the IAF shortlisted Raytheon after evaluating responses to a request for information sent in 2011 to Boeing, Thales, BAE, Elta and Raytheon. Though Raytheon has offered a Gulfstream platform for the aircraft, it has left it open for the IAF to make its own platform selection.

$23-billion sales The Raytheon Company registered sales of $23 billion in 2014. Raytheon has worked with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) for nearly a decade to integrate rolling airframe missiles, evolved Seasparrow missiles and launchers onto the UAE’s Baynunah class of ships.

As the only shipbuilder in the UAE, Abu Dhabi Ship Building is a significant economic entity in the region and the UAE Navy’s prime maritime logistics support provider. It runs the Baynunah programme for the Navy.