Sale of military equipment from UK to United Arab Emirates

This file concerns arms sales to the UAE. It contains memoranda and correspondence concerning:

• Vosper Thorneycroft’s failure to win a contract for patrol boats due to a dispute with its agents
• The demand for boats for the UAE coast guard; and the assembling of a British consortium to meet the UAE’s requirements
• The transport of light guns to Dubai
• The transport of missile equipment and spares to Abu Dhabi
• Interest in missiles for the Yarmuk Brigade
• The dispute concerning the escalation in the price of training ammunition for rocket launchers
• Small arms ammunition for Dubai
• Riot equipment for Abu Dhabi
• The enquiries of Mr McConnell into the legitimacy Frank O’Shanahun Associates Limited, with whom he has interviewed for a job
• The dispute between HMG and Alvis Limited concerning the refit and repair of defective Scorpion armoured vehicles sold to the Union Defence Force; and the case of defective Scorpions in Dubai
• The order for more Scorpions; the negotiations concerning price; and the dispute concerning the involvement of Near East Resources as sales agents for Alvis
• Fire protection equipment
• The visit of Malcolm Reid of Westland Helicopters Limited
• Radio and electronics equipment
• A request for the purchase of sub-machine guns with carry cases disguised as diplomatic bags, and security communications equipment, for the President of the UAE Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s personal guard
• The problem of defective artillery guns
• The interest of the Associated British Machine Tools Makers Limited in supplying patrol boats fitted with missile launchers to the UAE
• Ammunition and spares for aircraft weaponry
• Rifles for Abu Dhabi
• Camouflage material for Dubai
• Canadian aircraft sales to the UAE
• Night vision equipment for the Western Military Region of the Union Defence Force (formerly the Abu Dhabi Defence Force (ADDF))
• Sales of military equipment to Umm Al Quwain; covering the visit of Sheikh Saud Bin Rashid Al Mu’alla to the UK to attend demonstrations; the dispute concerning selling missiles which are surplus to Umm Al Quwain’s requirements; the dismissal of Major Mackie as military adviser; and the need to inform the Federal Government of defence sales to the constituent Emirates
• Rifles and sub-machine guns for the Ruling Family of Fujairah
• The question of providing artillery training to the UAE to assist sales
• Visit to the UAE by a team from Marconi Electronic Systems
• Rifles and machine guns for Ras Al Khaimah.

The file also concerns the hospitalisation of Sheikh Saud of Umm Al Quwain due to an accident on his houseboat.