UAE has some of the most advanced F-16 fighter jets in the world, says Lockheed Martin CEO

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

John Nicholson, CEO of Lockheed Martin in the Middle East, confirmed that the UAE has some of the most advanced F-16 fighter jets in the world, noting that the company has more than 3,000 F-16s around the world in 25 different countries.

John Nicholson told WAM, that the company's Innovation and Security Solutions Center in Abu Dhabi has attracted since 2017 more than 110 Emirati trainees working to explore the future of innovative solutions to address challenges within the aviation and defense sector using artificial intelligence technologies.

He explained that the Emirati trainees are all students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and presented a pioneering model that calls for pride in dealing with advanced technology and finding solutions, during their training period at the company's innovation center.

He pointed out that these trainees have the opportunity to work on artificial intelligence, robotics, modeling, simulation, business processes, and many other aspects that qualify them to work in major international companies, which is a reflection of the strategic relations with the UAE that extend for almost 50 years of cooperation and partnership in various fields.

He said that Lockheed Martin includes a number of UAE nationals among its employees who are graduates of the center, as graduates of the program visited the United States, and learned about the various advanced technological systems, space, rotating mission systems and missions in order to obtain a deeper understanding of what it means to work within a major multinational company. .

He pointed out that the solutions that Lockheed Martin is working on in training programs are related to the processes and solutions developed by the company, so the trainees work with scientists and engineers in the company to solve real problems that customers face today in many solutions, such as robots and artificial intelligence, and are applied to the company's actual programs, which contributes to improving the level of performance and reaching some unique solutions as well.

The CEO of Lockheed Martin stated that artificial intelligence is able to analyze huge amounts of data in a very short period of time, and send this information to decision makers to help them make the best possible decision in the shortest possible time.

He said that Lockheed Martin offers its products to more than 100 countries around the world, which contributes to achieving stability and security for that country or region, as the products include satellites, which provide early warning and defense systems, and the most advanced fifth-generation F-35 fighter in the world and the F-16, in addition to the Block 70 which is offered throughout the region and the UAE which has one of the most advanced fighters in the world.

He noted that the number of Lockheed Martin employees reaches 116,000 employees, in addition to more than 60,000 engineers and scientists, while more than 8,000 employees of different nationalities work in the company, all of whom work to provide the latest technological solutions and possess the most advanced technology in the world.