UAE signs $599 mln in defence contracts: State news agency

The United Arab Emirates signed defence deals worth 2.2 billion dirhams ($599.00 million) on Friday, the fifth day of the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) military expo in Abu Dhabi, state news agency WAM said.

UAE contracts with local companies were worth 1.6 billion dirhams, while contracts with international firms totalled 653 million dirhams, WAM said on Friday.

The total number of contracts signed over the last five days reached 23.34 billion dirhams, WAM added. ($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham) (Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh. Editing by Jane Merriman)