LONDON [MENL] -- A state-owned French contractor plans to complete a
10-year tank project in the United Arab Emirates marred by disputes that
included a lengthy suspension in delivery.The UAE contract is expected to end in 2004 when the last of 436 Leclerc
tanks and recovery vehicles are delivered to Abu Dhabi. Industry sources
said Giat lost nearly $1.5 billion on the UAE project.Abu Dhabi is expected to obtain an additional batch of Leclerc tanks
over the next few weeks. Giat said it supplied 381 out of 388 main battle
tanks. Only 12 of the 46 recovery vehicles have been delivered."The delay is because the UAE has asked for modifications on those
vehicles to suit its requirements and we have agreed to do such
modifications," Norbert Chevasson, a sales executive at Giat Industries,
said. "Modifications will also be carried out on the main tanks."
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