Danish company Terma accused of violating UAE arms embargo

A Danish independent media and research centre has published a report accusing the country’s largest arms manufacturer, Terma, of war crimes after continuing to supply arms to the United Arab Emirates, despite a decision by Denmark to stop arming Saudi and the UAE because of their involvement in the war in Yemen. The report accuses the Danish authorities of being “asleep at the wheel” when considering Terma’s requests for export permits.

DanWatch used “satellite imagery, public access requests, intelligence reports, social media, export permits and dozens of interviews” to document the use of Terma radar and missile defence systems.

The report found that Terma continued to supply radar and missile defence systems which were later used in Yemen. Examples of such military equipment include the Scanter 2001, which was used on Emirari warships which regularly participated in the naval blockade, stopping carrying emergency aid from reaching the Yemeni coast. The naval blockade of Yemen has left ten million starving and 80% of the country dependent on aid. The report alleges that Terma continued to deliver spare parts until October 2019, and invited a team of Emirati radar technicians to participate in a training session at the company’s factory in Lystrup.

William Hartung, an expert in international arms trade and head of the American think tank Center for International Policy, is quoted in the report, arguing that “Without the radar systems, the Emirates warships are neither able to participate in the war in Yemen nor in the naval blockade.”

Other Terma equipment used by the UAE includes a defence system for the Archangel fighter aircraft. The aircraft are equipped with Terma’s MASE pods, a defense system mounted under the wings to protect aircraft from attack from the ground.