Mohammed bin Zayed visits Al Taif Technical Services

His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has toured the General Maintenance Division of the Joint Logistics Command of the General Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces (GHQ) in Zayed Military City. Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied during the inspection visit by H. H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Staff Lt. General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces, Staff Major General Jumaa Ahmed Al Bowardi, Commander of Land Forces, Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, Member of the Executive Council, Khaldoun Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Authority Affairs and CEO of Mubadala Development Company, Major General Obaid Al Hairi Al Kitbi, Deputy General Commander of Abu Dhabi Police and Chairman of Al Taif Technical Services, senior army officers and members of the Company's board. The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince visited a number of major maintenance workshops, where he was briefed about the structure and nature of their work. The Joint Logistics Command, with support from the GHQ, had approached experts from the private sector to enter into a quality partnership to raise the level of the technical services of the Armed Forces. A contract was then signed, whereby Al Taif Technical Services, a national general maintenance company and a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, has been assigned to carry out the maintenance work. These tasks have been outsourced to the company so as to develop a sustainable base that can serve all the land forces and provide the highest quality of equipment, as well as high operating efficiency, in accordance with the highest standards and criteria for the armed forces. The Commander of the Joint Logistics Command, Staff Major General Mohammed Saeed bin Maran Al Dhahiri, gave a demonstration about the role of maintenance, the provision of necessary services and the economic feasibility of outsourcing, indicating that the aim of this technical partnership "is to keep pace with the latest developments in the area of maintenance and adapting to the new technical service programmes that can establish a local industry base to further upgrade the level of maintenance at the hands of local cadres." Cyril Asaad Arar, CEO of Al Taif Technical Services, briefed Sheikh Mohammed on the functions of the company and its vision to become the first in the provision of integral maintenance solutions in the UAE and the region. Sheikh Mohammed toured the main weapon plant, which is specialised in fixing the turrets of all combat vehicles and different types of light guns. He was briefed about the nature of the support departments of the plant, a section that follows up production, quality control, the equipment warehouse, security and safety. He also toured the main mechanics plant (a), where he and the other visitors were briefed about the work of plant which repairs, restores and maintains tanks, armored vehicles and cannon to increase their lifespan by updating parts and improving performance and functions of some parts. The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince visited the main maintenance plant, where he inspected the maintenance and repair phases of the major mechanical and electrical parts, which include all the kinds of light and heavy engines. Sheikh Mohammed concluded the tour by visiting the Maintenance School, one of the oldest specialised military schools, which was set up in 1972. Since its technical work was outsourced to Al Taif Company in 2008, the school's focus is training and rehabilitating citizens to serve in the Armed Forces. He toured the workshops in the school, where he got acquainted with the nature of the maintenance and training programmes.