Pictures cast doubt on Australian weapons use in Yemen






Space Syatems and weapons manufacturer Electro Optic Systems (ASX: EOS) is in the middle of an international political storm with photographs emerging which put into question its arms exports to the Middle East.

EOS, which makes weapons systems that can be remotely operated from inside the protection of an armoured car, has a $450 million order from the Middle East for its products.

The exact recipients of the weapons has never been clearly stated.

As reported in @AuManufacturing, EOS has denied its weapons are headed for the Yemen conflict.

It said then: “No EOS product has ever been deployed or used in Yemen.”

However photographs sent to the ABC and The Guardian of labels on pallets at Sydney airport containing products from EOS show military in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are to receive the weapons.

Destinations are labelled as the Saudi ministry of interior, general department of arms and explosives, and the UAE armed forces’ joint logistics command.

The Yemen war began in 2015 and has displaced three million, involved numerous civilian deaths and is widely regarded as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Similar exports from the United Kingdom have ignited a political storm but so far Canberra has kept out of the controversy.

EOS said in a statement that its position had not changed since its previous announcement.

CEO Ben Greene said: “It is still true that no EOS product has, at any time, been deployed or used in Yemen.

“Furthermore, no EOS product has been supplied to military forces which have been or are currently deployed to Yemen.”

Greene did not directly comment on claims regarding the products photographed at Sydney airport.

# This story has been updated to include the statement from EOS, which was released late Friday.

Picture: EOS

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