Julian Coetzee, CEO, Milkor UAE
Milkor’s vision is clear: to lead the military and defence industry through relentless innovation and cutting-edge technology. This commitment to pushing boundaries is evident in the company’s expanding global presence, its advancements in unmanned systems and maritime security, and its focus on delivering unparalleled performance and reliability. “Milkor’s expanding foreign collaborations and export operations are central to our global strategy,” says Julian Coetzee, CEO, Milkor UAE. In an interview with Arabian Defence, he discusses about the company’s regional expansion, its latest product developments, its global strategic vision, and participation in IDEX 2025.
Milkor has made significant strides in expanding its presence in the Middle East. Could you share how your offices in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are enhancing your operations in the region?
Milkor’s expansion into the UAE and Saudi Arabia is indeed a key strategy for strengthening our presence in the Middle East, a region that offers a growing demand for defence and security solutions. The offices in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia play a critical role in enhancing operations, and here’s how:
- Local Presence for Tailored Solutions: Establishing offices in these countries allows Milkor to better understand the local market’s specific needs and regulatory requirements. This proximity helps in offering more tailored solutions to government and defence entities, aligning with the strategic goals of each nation.
- Stronger Customer Relationships: Having local offices enables Milkor to build deeper relationships with key stakeholders in the defence, security, and law enforcement sectors. It helps foster trust and ensures more responsive and efficient customer service, which is essential in such a sensitive industry.
- Enhanced Logistics and Support: With operations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Milkor can improve logistics and after-sales support, crucial for military and law enforcement customers who require ongoing technical assistance and spare parts. This local support network reduces delays and ensures smoother operations for clients.
- Regional Training and Knowledge Sharing: Milkor’s offices can also facilitate regional training programs for personnel, ensuring that local teams are well-versed in handling Milkor’s products and technology. This enhances the overall effectiveness of their offerings and strengthens partnerships with local defence forces.
- Strategic Partnerships: Being established in these two pivotal countries opens opportunities for strategic collaborations with local defence contractors, government agencies, and private enterprises. Milkor can leverage its local presence to participate in joint ventures, procurements, and research initiatives that are critical to the region’s defence priorities.
- Market Expansion and Innovation: Milkor’s regional offices can drive market innovation by gathering insights from local industries and applying them to improve or diversify product offerings. This feedback loop helps ensure that Milkor’s technologies remain cutting-edge and relevant to the needs of the Middle East’s evolving defence landscape.
Milkor is known for innovation. Could you tell us more about your latest products like the Milkor Vanguard MRAP and how they meet the demands of modern military operations?
Milkor has indeed built a reputation for innovation, and one of our latest products the Milkor Vanguard MRAP reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to meeting the evolving needs of modern military operations.
The Milkor Vanguard MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) is a cutting-edge armored vehicle designed to provide superior protection, mobility, and versatility in high-risk environments. It is engineered to address the ever-changing nature of modern warfare, particularly in regions with increased threats from IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), mines, and ambushes. The advanced manoeuvrability, protection level, crew comfort, operational efficiency and the advance technology integration is some of the key standout features of the Milkor Vanguard.
Milkor has recently opened an office dedicated to UAV technologies. What role do unmanned systems play in Milkor’s strategy, and how do you envision the future of UAV development within your company?
Milkor’s focus on unmanned systems, particularly UAVs, plays a central role in our strategy of addressing emerging military needs, providing high-tech, cost-effective solutions, and differentiating ourselves in the competitive defence market. Looking ahead, the future of Milkor’s UAV developments will revolve around enhanced autonomy, AI integration, increased payload capacity, and multi-role flexibility. These innovations will further strengthen the operational capabilities of our end users and pave the way for the next generation of unmanned solutions that will define modern warfare.
How does Milkor’s ongoing foreign collaborations and expanding export operations contribute to its global strategy and strengthen its international partnerships?
Milkor’s expanding foreign collaborations and export operations are central to our global strategy. They enable us to diversify our market presence, innovate through technology exchange, build stronger international partnerships, and position ourselves as a competitive player in the global defence market. By adapting to local needs and working with key international end users and companies we ensure long-term growth, strengthening both our business and strategic global positioning.
Could you talk about Milkor’s latest naval offerings, such as the Milkor IPC and Milkor Commander, and how these vessels are designed to enhance maritime security and law enforcement?
Milkor has made significant strides in enhancing our Naval Division addressing maritime security through our latest naval offerings, such as the Milkor IPC (Interceptor Patrol Craft) and Milkor Commander. Both vessels are designed to address the growing demand for efficient, high-performance platforms that can be used in various law enforcement and security roles at sea, particularly in areas with high levels of piracy, smuggling, and maritime threats.
Milkor’s IPC and Commander vessels are vital assets in enhancing maritime security and law enforcement capabilities. These vessels are designed with speed, versatility, and advanced technology to address a variety of modern challenges, such as piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, and border violations.
By providing agile and capable platforms, Milkor is helping maritime forces maintain control of their waters, respond rapidly to incidents, and secure critical assets and trade routes. Through these offerings, Milkor is positioning itself as a leader in the development of maritime security solutions that meet the evolving demands of modern law enforcement and defence agencies
Can you elaborate on the company’s R&D operations, quality control processes, and after-sales support?
Milkor’s commitment to R&D, quality control, and after-sales support ensures that our products meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability. Through robust R&D operations we stay at the forefront of defence and security technology, developing innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. Our rigorous quality control processes ensure that every product performs consistently, even under extreme conditions.
Meanwhile, the Milkor’s comprehensive after-sales support guarantees that customers can rely on Milkor for continued service, maintenance, and upgrades throughout the lifecycle of their products. This combination of innovation, quality assurance, and customer support is a key differentiator for Milkor in the competitive global defence market.
What are the highlights of your participation in IDEX 2025? What are the priorities?
We use IDEX/NAVDEX as a key exhibition to showcase the latest technologies, products, and innovations from Milkor Group. The exhibition is essential for engaging with delegations, conducting key stakeholder engagements and broadening our supply chain networks, all of which are of utmost importance to the continues growth of our brand.
