Paramount Land Systems, a subsidiary of Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology company, has announced two orders totaling 50 vehicles for its newly unveiled, Maatla 4×4 Light Protected Vehicle (LPV), during the African Aerospace and Defense Expo (AAD 2022) in Tshwane, South Africa.
In entering the Light Protected Vehicle market with its new multi-role ‘Maatla’ (meaning Power in Setswana), Paramount Land Systems is meeting the increasing demand for lighter weight and more affordable armored vehicles, while offering advanced capabilities and reconfigurability in the field.
Building on nearly three decades of equipping armed forces in Africa and around the world with the most advanced armored vehicles, the latest addition to Paramount’s family of protected vehicles is already in production for an African country with one of the most challenging, rugged and remote environments for land forces to operate in.
The Maatla has been manufactured on a commercial vehicle chassis which provides class-leading reliability and proven capability, while capable of addressing all types of terrain for its nine-crew personnel. It further features “Smart Floor” technology, enabling the seating to be quickly removed and the vehicle to be configured as either an ambulance, command vehicle or customizable for alternative mission requirements, such as border patrol, military support, policing, or peacekeeping missions. Day/night vision devices and extra sensors can also be fitted to provide 24/7 operability.
The Maatla provides, as a minimum, ballistic and blast protections to STANAG 4569 Level 1, and can protect against handguns and other small caliber ball rounds. It also provides underbelly protection against M26 hand grenades or a blast equivalent.
The Maatla can reach a road speed of up to 100 km/hr, with a cruising range of up to 600 km when traveling at 80 km/hr, and a fording depth of up to 750 mm without preparation. The vehicle is fitted with a 2-speed transfer case and 3 differential locks, which allows it to cross almost any obstacle in difficult terrain. The vehicle can be operated in extreme environments, with temperatures ranging from -10°C to + 55°C, without any preparation.
About Paramount Group
Paramount Group is the global aerospace and technology business, founded in 1994. It is a leader in defense and security innovation and is a trusted partner to sovereign governments across the globe. Paramount specializes in the creation of portable manufacturing facilities through technology and skills transfer, resulting in new local capabilities and sustainable jobs, proven to not only benefit local defense industrial capabilities but economic diversification and growth.
Paramount Group has been responsible for the development and production of a broad range of highly advanced armored and mine protected vehicles that are in operation around the world. The family of APC and combat vehicles which has been developed from clean-sheet design is at the vanguard of armored vehicle technologies. These vehicles have been designed and developed to meet the increasing demand for multi-role, high mobility, and mine hardened platforms, providing a solution to the ever-changing demands of the global battlefield.
Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology company, announced the launch of a unique engineering mentorship and training program, aimed at fast tracking young engineers by equipping them with the skills and experience required to excel in the workplace, while ensuring a sustainable talent pool for its current and future skills requirements.
Bridging the gap between university and the workplace, the 18 month-long Young Engineers Development Program [YEDP] will immerse and rotate engineers across all of Paramount’s manufacturing businesses, exposing them to world-leading technologies and innovations in the land, sea and air domains. Through a rigorous selection process, a group of nine recently graduated engineers were selected from a shortlist of 103 candidates, following more than 800 applications received from across South Africa.
Martie Baumgardt, Group HR Director of Paramount Group stated: “Paramount has a wide range of capabilities, allowing these young engineers to be mentored by experienced engineering teams based at our various innovation centers, naval shipyards, and our land systems and aerospace factories. The blended training will combine traditional classroom training with on-line learning, practical projects, solving real-world complex problems, assignments and case studies, and seminars by external thought leaders and experts in their fields.
“The training will also cover soft skills development such as EQ, diversity appreciation, and conflict resolution. The aim is to develop a well-rounded and workplace-ready engineer, who is not only fully competent in his/her specialization, but will also develop competence in areas such as leadership, project management, supply chain, production, and finances.”
Through this program, the company is proactively addressing local engineering skills shortages through the YEDP which will enable experienced senior engineers within the company to share their skills and decades-long experience with the selected young engineers.
In their first week at the company, participants in the YEDP were exposed to a packed program that included an introduction to the company, a special session on the different career paths open to professional engineers, and presentations from senior engineers from within the subsidiary companies on current and new technologies, and future development plans and projects.
Participants in the YEDP toured the manufacturing facilities at Paramount’s Midrand Campus, including a fully robotic electronics production line, a high-tech water jet parts cutting facility, an armored vehicle welding line and final assembly plant, and a visit to its state-of-the-art aircraft manufacturing facility north of Pretoria.
“My first week at Paramount was completely amazing,” said Mr Thabo Tlale, a recently graduated engineer who grew up in a small village near Rustenburg called Dikebu. “I had no idea how many amazing technologies Paramount has expertise in,” said the young engineer who recently graduated from University of Johannesburg, and the first to graduate as an engineer in his family.
“The company made us feel like VIPs, and we received all types of amazing training in the first few weeks,” said Tlale, adding: “I feel very optimistic about my future, and very privileged to be working on an exciting UAV program. Week two was pretty tough because we had to hit the ground running with the first test flight coming up. I was tasked with complex materials strength calculations, and we were all under so much pressure and learning fast.”
Baumgardt added: “These young engineers are at the very beginning of their careers and their personal growth is very important for the long-term prosperity of our business. They are our next generation of engineers and the future of the company. We are investing heavily in them.”
Paramount Group, the worldwide aviation and innovation organization, reported today that its multi-mission, Mwari aerial platform has been armed with cutting edge anti-drone technologies, empowering the sending of the airplane as a powerful tracker and enemy of Medium Altitude and Long Endurance Drones (MALEs).
The perfect sheet planned Mwari is the next development in Find, Fix and Finish advances streamlined for the counter drone protection climate, fit for engaging MALE drones at elevations of 20,000-30,000 feet, where just profoundly modern and exorbitant ground-based air defense systems (GBADS) can reach, and which would somehow require the intervention of fighter jets.
Progressed sensors, a lengthy reach, and pinpoint exactness are at the very front of the Mwari imaginative framework configuration, making the stage an ideal answer for the dangers presented by MALE drones to the regional honesty of sovereign countries.
The Mwari is equipped for dallying at any rate speed of 110kts for as long as 10 hours of flight time (with optional external fuel tanks for added endurance). It can be fully equipped with new generation, multi-role air-to-air missiles (with an engagement range of 4,000m) alongside rapid-fire, wing-mounted cannon pods (with an engagement range of 800m), offering the latest in advanced anti-drone lethality.
This capability builds on inherent onboard situational awareness technologies such as an encrypted, high-bandwidth data link and multi-spectrum search and track sensors, long-range optical and radar surveillance systems, a SA7 CRM – Satellite Communication link, AIS – Ship ID Systems and real-time video; today, mission-critical hardware and software which can assess targets, including MALEs in the 2,000 kg class, typically flown in high altitude surveillance patterns.
Superior crew and sensor visibility of the unique Mwari design provides ultimate situational awareness, either during day or night, ensuring that the aerial platform can undertake a wide range of missions, in austere and remote environments and on unprepared runways while requiring a limited logistical footprint.
Steve Griessel, CEO of Paramount Group, stated that, “Historically, prohibitive costs have restricted anti-drone systems targeting MALE drone threats. Amidst this paradigm is where the Mwari perfectly steps in, the next and best-in-class precision technology, and able to operate at a fraction of the cost of alternative anti-drone solutions. No other singular aircraft has such an intuitive multi-mission application or can reach similar altitudes while hosting what is the industry’s gold standard in situational awareness technology.”
An Interchangeable Multi-Mission System Bay (IMSB) located in the fuselage further allows for system changes ‘on the fly;’ updates, additions, and integrations in real-time are made possible, ensuring that the single airframe can be easily re-configured for different missions. Despite hosting such highly advanced technologies, the Mwari can be rapidly disassembled, transported in a C-130 or equivalent, and reassembled at a remote base, by a small crew with
minimal infrastructure.
Griesel concluded “We look forward to leveraging the innovative Mwari’s robust applications as the pre-eminent anti-drone defence solution and to its exciting next steps in adoption by our global partners,” .
Drawing on both Paramount Group’s commitment to innovation and its extensive research and development (R&D) and manufacturing experience, the Mwari has been designed with portable production in mind. The aircraft could, depending on customer requirements, be exported in kit format for final assembly in customer countries and can easily integrate into supply chains around the world, enabling scalable mass production.
Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology company, announced today that its multi-mission, Mwari aerial platform has been equipped with advanced anti-drone technologies, enabling the deployment of the aircraft as an effective hunter and killer of Medium Altitude and Long Endurance Drones (MALEs).
The clean-sheet designed Mwari is the next evolution in ‘Find, Fix & Finish’ technologies optimized for the anti-drone defence environment, capable of engaging MALE drones at altitudes of 20,000-30,000 feet, where only highly sophisticated and costly ground-based air defence systems (GBADS) can reach, and which would otherwise require the intervention of fighter jets.
Advanced sensors, an extended range, and pinpoint accuracy are at the forefront of the Mwari’s innovative system design, making the platform an ideal solution for the threats posed by MALE drones to the territorial integrity of sovereign nations.
The Mwari is capable of loitering at a minimum speed of 110kts for up to 10 hours of flight time (with optional external fuel tanks for added endurance). It can be fully equipped with new generation, multi-role air-to-air missiles (with an engagement range of 4,000m) alongside rapid-fire, wing-mounted cannon pods (with an engagement range of 800m), offering the latest in advanced anti-drone lethality.
This capability builds on inherent onboard situational awareness technologies such as an encrypted, high-bandwidth data link and multi-spectrum search and track sensors, long range optical and radar surveillance systems, a SA7 CRM – Satellite Communication link, AIS – Ship ID Systems and real-time video; today, mission-critical hardware and software which can assess targets, including MALEs in the 2,000 kg class, typically flown in high altitude surveillance patterns.
Superior crew and sensor visibility of the unique Mwari design provides ultimate situational awareness, either during day or night, ensuring that the aerial platform can undertake a wide range of missions, in austere and remote environments and on unprepared runways while requiring a limited logistical footprint.
Steve Griessel, CEO of Paramount Group, stated that, “Historically, prohibitive costs have restricted anti-drone systems targeting MALE drone threats. Amidst this paradigm is where the Mwari perfectly steps in, the next and best-in-class precision technology, and able to operate at a fraction of the cost of alternative anti-drone solutions. No other singular aircraft has such an intuitive multi-mission application or can reach similar altitudes while hosting what is the industry’s gold standard in situational awareness technology.”
An Interchangeable Multi-Mission System Bay (IMSB) located in the fuselage further allows for system changes ‘on the fly;’ updates, additions, and integrations in real-time are made possible, ensuring that the single airframe can be easily re-configured for different missions.
Despite hosting such highly advanced technologies, the Mwari can be rapidly disassembled, transported in a C-130 or equivalent, and reassembled at a remote base, by a small crew with minimal infrastructure.
“We look forward to leveraging the innovative Mwari’s robust applications as the pre-eminent anti-drone defence solution and to its exciting next steps in adoption by our global partners,” Griesel concluded.
Drawing on both Paramount Group’s commitment to innovation and its extensive research and development (R&D) and manufacturing experience, the Mwari has been designed with portable production in mind. The aircraft could, depending on customer requirements, be exported in kit format for final assembly in customer countries and can easily integrate into supply chains around the world, enabling scalable mass production.
Paramount Group is a global aerospace and technology company, a leader in defence and security innovation and is a trusted partner to sovereign governments around the world, providing ground-breaking products, services and consultancy, including support for peacekeeping missions. Please visit www.paramountgroup.com for more information and follow us on Twitter.
Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), the joint venture between the global aerospace and technology business, Paramount Group and one of Kazakhstan’s leading defence and engineering companies, Kazpetromash, has announced its latest delivery of Arlan 4×4 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in accordance with that nation’s State Defence Order.
Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering has for over the past four years delivered several batches of the Arlan APC to the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, where they have since been in operation.
The Arlan, the winterised variant of Paramount Group’s Marauder, is a mine-resistant armoured platform (MRAP) designed to operate in extreme environments to meet the ever-growing array of mission requirements undertaken by Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces, such as quick reaction force operations, infantry fire support or long-range border patrol.
The vehicle is renowned for its adaptability to the diverse conditions of Kazakhstan and the greater Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), with features including pre-ignition engine heating and a dynamic temperature control system that can carry personnel safely and comfortably in winter conditions (as low as – 50 degrees Celsius) and summer temperatures (up to 50 degrees Celsius).
The Arlan armoured vehicles are all locally manufactured (comprising up to 70% local content) at the 15,000m2 KPE armoured vehicle production facility in Nursultan, one of the largest and most modern armoured vehicle factories in the region. Over two-hundred Kazakhstanis are presently employed by Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), providing modern equipment for Kazakhstan’s Special Operations Forces and its Ministry of Defense. The facilities serve as a center for excellence and high-skills employment, with the capacity to produce hundreds of armored vehicles per year.
John Craig, Executive Chairman of Paramount Land Systems, stated that, “The COVID-19 pandemic and particularly, its direct ramifications to global supply chains has underscored the critical impetus behind governments honing their home-grown capabilities and emboldening their defence industrial complexes to remain resilient in the face of often-fluctuating circumstances and their exogenous aftershocks”.
The indigenously produced Arlan can withstand the debris and dissipating energy of explosions, its double-skin spaced armour providing outstanding security (including blast protection of STANAG 4569 Level 3a & 3b, stopping power against a 50kg TNT side blast, protecting against roadside bombs and IEDs, and with 8kg blast protection under the hull) while reaching a speed of up to 120km/hr for a range of 700km.
In addition to the Arlan’s advanced protections and durability, with a kerb weight of 13,500 kg and offering up to a 4,500kg payload, the highly versatile APC can ford at 1.2m and is capable of climbing gradients of 60% and side slopes of 35%.
The interoperable vehicle, accommodating two crew members and up to seven troops, is further equipped with a nuclear, biological and chemical protection system (NBC) which can address the challenges of radiation dust spread, gas and/or biological attacks, along with a mechanical 12,7 mm turret. The Arlan can carry extra fuel tanks, water and additional combat supplies, with optional add-ons including however not limited to a Winterisation Kit and Central Tyre Inflation System (CTIS), alongside various weapon and fire suppression systems.
“In 2022, maintaining security of supply in the defence arena will be a key priority for governments across the globe. Accordingly, the successful delivery of this latest fleet of Arlans to the customer emblemises not only our legacy of delivering highly customised solutions on time and on budget, but also our partners’ pragmatic role in mitigating the impact of global threats. KPE is indeed a strategic cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s technological prowess,” Craig concluded.
Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) is the joint venture between Paramount Group, the global technology and aerospace company, and Kazakhstan Engineering, the leading defence company in Kazakhstan. KPE is one of the leading defence companies in Kazakhstan and the greater CIS region.
About Paramount Group
Paramount Group is a global technology and aerospace business, a leader in defence and security innovation and is a trusted partner to sovereign governments across the globe.
Paramount specialises in the creation of portable manufacturing facilities through technology and skills transfer, resulting in new local capabilities and sustainable jobs, proven to not only benefit local defence industrial capabilities but economic diversification and growth.
Paramount Group has been responsible for the development and production of a broad range of highly advanced armored and mine protected vehicles that are in operation around the world. The family of APC and combat vehicles which has been developed from clean-sheet design is at the vanguard of armored vehicle technologies. These vehicles have been designed and developed to meet the increasing demand for multi-role, high mobility, and mine hardened platforms, providing a solution to the ever-changing demands of the global battlefield.
Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology company, announced today that it has appointed Steve Griessel as its Group Chief Executive Officer.
South African-born Griessel, a global business executive who served as CEO of several companies in South Africa and the United States, including two public companies, brings more than 30 years of business leadership and senior management experience to the group.
Griessel, who is well known for driving innovative management practices across various industries, will assume the new role with immediate effect. He will be responsible for providing strategic, financial and operational leadership and will work closely with the Board of Directors, shareholders and senior leadership team.
Ivor Ichikowitz, Founder of Paramount Group stated: “Paramount Group is a unique organization; its ethos is based on extreme agility and innovation. It is not a typical manufacturing or engineering company and therefore requires a very unique style of leadership and business acumen. We are fortunate to have someone of Steve’s caliber and experience coming in to lead Paramount Group globally.
“Steve is a proven leader with a strong business vision who has demonstrated his ability to bring people together and achieve results in highly competitive markets. The opportunity ahead for Paramount is vast, and to seize it we must continue to innovate and deliver world-leading technologies and solutions to our customers.”
Griessel who prior to his recent appointment held the position of CEO of Paramount USA, Paramount’s US-based subsidiary, stated:
“It is an honor to take on the role of Group CEO. We are at an important milestone in our evolution as we further globalize our operations and expand our network of strategic partnerships with Governments and major corporations around the world. This leadership role is critical as Paramount continues to evolve by entering new markets, and expanding its innovations and technologies, in order to take advantage of a substantially increasing global market for our products and services.”
“Over the last 27 years, Paramount Group has experienced exceptional growth and success. I had the distinct privilege in my previous role of working closely with the Paramount family; I know their passion and commitment to innovation, engineering excellence and customer-focused solutions.
“Together with my professional and experienced executive team, I will be focusing on setting up the business to meet Paramount’s global ambitions. I am confident that we will continue to build strong industrial partnerships around the world through our portable production model; supporting governments in meeting their economic development objectives. I’m looking forward to being part of a world-class team that delivers future-proof technologies and solutions to its customers, invests in its people by developing the most talented professionals into leaders, and plays its part to improve the communities in which it operates. ”
Adding to its longstanding relationship with the Ghanaian Navy, Paramount Group confirmed a Platinum Sponsorship for the Ghanaian Navy’s 60th anniversary celebration taking place at this year’s International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC 2019 –https://imdecafrica.com/) in Ghana from July 24-25.
“We have a very strong and lasting relationship with the Ghanaian Navy and it is a great privilege to support this momentous occasion of its 60th Anniversary,” said Senior Vice President of Paramount Group, Mr. Eric Ichikowitz. “It is through partnerships like this that governments can unlock the vast benefits of the Blue Ocean economy by creating indigenous and regional naval capabilities that will bolster local manufacturing, skills development and technology transfer.”
The global aerospace and technology company will also participate as one of many delegates at the conference among more than 15 Chiefs of Naval Staff and a multitude of Africa’s public and private sector maritime stakeholders.
“This Conference affords Paramount Group and our stakeholders in the African security and defense space with a timely opportunity to present strategic, localized, and cost-efficient methodologies and solutions necessary to secure some of Africa’s most important assets: its waterways,” added Ichikowitz.
“We are looking forward to deliberate upon lasting solutions for addressing the socio-economical threats of piracy, human and drug trafficking, illegal fishing, bunkering and armed robberies that impact the present security and future potential of Africa’s maritime and coastal waters.”
Ichikowitz will be leading delegations as a key speaker during the event appropriately themed, “60 Years of Naval Excellence: Securing the Maritime Domain for National Development.” Event attendees have the opportunity to participate in-depth panel discussions, breakout sessions, as well as VIP exhibition tours of elite military facilities including the Sekondi Naval Base.
In addition to its offering of multi-role naval vessels from interceptor light strike vessels, to off-shore patrol vessels, Paramount Group adds more value to its partnership with African navies through its systems installation, integration programmes, and implementing equipment upgrades installation combined with high-skills training. These efforts are combined to ultimately create operations aligned with economic and sustainable efficiencies among shore facilities.
“We are excited to join the Ghanaian Navy at IMDEC 2019, an event we anticipate will foster newfound dialogue and best practice in collaboration and innovation for securitizing the Gulf of Guinea. The ECOWAS is home to one of Africa’s foremost oil and gas enclaves that unfortunately today has grown increasingly volatile, costing the region billions of dollars in economic activity. We look forward to continuing to play a role in safeguarding these coastal waters in tandem with our partners across the region,” Ichikowitz concluded.
The industry of defense and security is frenetic and continues to evolve in light of challenges known and new. Working with sovereign governments around the world in bolstering capacities in this environment is a business in and of itself, an enterprise billionaire industrialist Ivor Ichikowitz has overseen for nearly 25 years.
Global Trade spoke to Paramount Group Founder and Executive Chairman Mr. Ivor Ichikowitz about the challenges and opportunities in the industry of defense and security.
Photo: Ichikowitz Foundation
Q: What are the latest trends reshaping the modern-day industry of defense and security?
A: The enduring factor that shapes the defense and security industry is the evolution of threats to citizens and their strategic interests. As threats change, so too must the tools to address them. Naturally this makes our line of work incredibly dynamic. We’ve learned as much in our nearly 25 years working to address these challenges with industry partners and clients from around the world, and have our eyes set on what’s coming next. In particular, there are key emerging trends to be watched.
First and foremost is the impact of new, disruptive technologies within the defense sector, which is a top strategic concern. In fact the Boston Consulting Group recently published the results of an industry-wide survey that found, among other things, that some 54% of respondents reported plans to increase investments in digital technologies in 2018. Indeed, the question of how the industry responds to and anticipates these innovations is crucial for future success.
At Paramount, we are always anticipating market demand. Advances in artificial intelligence and automation technologies have produced an increasing preference among clients for remotely operated smart platforms. Frankly, wherever there is an opportunity and an available technology to reduce risks to troops, there is naturally great interest.
Another trend to watch is how the defense industry responds to the financial concerns of the client. Despite the fact that since 2017, global defense spending reached its highest levels since the end of the Cold War, amounting to $1.7 trillion USD, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, there is still enormous pressure to deliver value. Defense budgets continued to increase by 4.9% in 2018 – its fastest rate since 2008 – yet at the same time, contractors are increasingly asked for greater pricing transparency.
Defense is a strategic industry, and States are waking up to the accompanying economic potential. If you take a look at countries like India, China, South Africa or others, you’ll notice an interesting pattern. Governments in emerging economies are looking at their own defense and security industries as a means of economic and technological diversification – especially in anticipation of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). This has led to precipitous growth in demand for traditional and new-age products, as well as greenfield investments from international producers.
We recognize that any response to these trends will not only require innovation in product design and development – something that we take pride in at Paramount Group – but also a business model that accommodates the clients who wish to maximize the impact of their investment. Fortunately, Paramount has already formulated a groundbreaking approach that we believe is well suited to address the cost, performance and return on investment interests of our customers. A portable manufacturing model, whereby Paramount works with a customer to establish local manufacturing partnerships, has proven to drive down costs and pays economic, technological and human capital dividends long into the future.
Q: Does the U.S. need to ‘step up’ global collaboration in technology and skills transfer with Africa?
A: Yes. In fact, I think there is broad consensus on the issue. John Bolton, President Trump’s National Security Advisor, has been unequivocal, emphasizing that “lasting stability, prosperity, independence, and security ” in Africa are, “in the national security interest of the United States.” We agree.
Washington’s Africa strategy recognizes the importance of strengthening trade and commercial ties to the region, as well as ramping up security and development assistance. These are the key pathways to shoring up stability on the continent, allowing states to develop capacity to contain threats such as terrorism and radicalism without outside intervention.
We should be looking at how the United States can help develop a more stable marketplace for allies in Africa, laying the foundation for an ecosystem that nurtures the growth of new industries, such as technology and manufacturing, further diversifying the domestic economy.
What I can say is this: by unlocking the door to US technology and skills transfer with the defense and security sectors of African economies, Washington could essentially hit two birds – economic and security independence – with one stone.
Q: What are the ‘unknown unknowns’ (as Hal Gregersen, Executive Director of the MIT Leadership Center, calls them) within 2019’s defense and security industry?
A: Like most other business sectors, the defense industry is navigating through a period of uncertainty and risk. There is the impact of the US-China trade war, which for example has dealt a blow to domestic producers in RSA of steel, who depend in large part on access to the US market. Other geopolitical tensions, especially if they escalate to violent conflict, threaten to disrupt supply chains crucial to the industry, and discourage investors.
Another area of ‘unknown unknowns’ would relate to technological disruption. In both the public and private defense and security sectors there are well kept secrets that could shake up the industry. An enduring example would be the debut of the Global Positioning System (GPS) after the US government made it available for civilian use. Since then, the nature of ‘situational awareness’, of modern warfare, peace and security has never been the same.
Military institutions around the world are also beginning to plan for climate risk. For example, a recent survey from the US Department of Defense has found that around 50 percent of US military facilities had at least one asset damaged by the effects of climate change. As polar ice-caps reduce, the potential for territorial conflicts among nations with Arctic claims will increase. This trend should incentivize greater investment in innovation by firms in the defense and security industry to help customers build resilience.
And it seems that these unknown risks weigh on the minds of many global leaders, which is part of the reason we are seeing expanding investment in defense and security.
Q: Where do you envision Paramount Group in the context of both the U.S. and global defense industry, in 2019 and beyond?
A: In early 2019, the United States Air Force (USAF) has placed an emphasis on using the latest innovative technologies to modernize its legacy aircraft – a business area that is increasingly in high demand and one in which we have unparalleled experience. Our organization is looking forward to bringing our capacity, services, and portable manufacturing model to the U.S. marketplace and beyond.
We foresee dynamic growth from within the United States and we are strongly committed to the market as demonstrated through the establishment of Paramount Group USA.
Over the last few years Paramount group has partnered with a number of leading US defense companies such as Boeing, Draken, and The Armored Group for strategic collaborations across land, sea air.
The primary focus of Paramount Group USA will initially be in the fields of aerospace manufacturing and support services; however, the intent of our enterprise is to expand product and technology lines through strategic partnerships into, for example, armored vehicle manufacturing, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and maritime vessel production, a development strategy which we have proven to deploy with efficiency.
Our firm is well positioned to compete globally. Our portable manufacturing model and innovative financing have a proven track record of success, from Kazakhstan and the UAE, among other markets. Additionally, we’re currently in the process of delivering our portable manufacturing model to customers in many African countries in the near future.
Today’s defense customers demand cost-effective and high-performance solutions, sometimes in challenging market conditions. I believe that Paramount’s key strength lies in addressing the capacity gaps which are unique to a given market, and helping the client build the capability required to meet their goals. This level of service goes far beyond procurement – our clients understand that we are personally invested in their success and their long-term security.
