EDGE inks key deals at airshow, includes Dhs239m UAS deal with defence ministry

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Abu Dhabi-based EDGE Group and its entities signed key deals at the Dubai Airshow.

The state-owned advanced technology and defence conglomerate comprises 25 companies that provide a diverse portfolio of military and civilian products, services, solutions, and related technologies.

One of its entities, ADASI, an autonomous systems and services company, signed a Dhs239m contract to supply Garmoosha unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to the Ministry of Defence.

Garmoosha — a low-consumption fuel engine, unmanned aircraft — is designed to carry payloads of approximately 120 kilogrammes and has a range of 150 kilometres.

Other key deals signed by EDGE and its companies

EDGE also tied up with Calidus, a UAE-based provider of advanced aeronautical and land systems, to integrate its precision-guided munition and guided-glide weapon solutions onto the B-250 light attack aircraft, and other Calidus platforms.

 Hamad Al Marar, President of EDGE Group’s Missiles & Weapons cluster, said: “We are proud to work with Calidus on this integration initiative and to provide high technology smart weapons to B-250 end-users. The opportunity will offer a range of versatile precision strike solutions, and complement the B-250’s multirole capabilities.”

The Calidus B-250, a single-engine turbo-prop, tandem-seat, light attack aircraft, is suited for missions such as close air support, persistent air support, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, counterinsurgency, and basic and advanced training.

Additionally, EDGE and Roketsan, a Turkish company which designs, develops and manufactures rockets, missiles, guided munitions and weapon systems.

The two companies will work together to explore opportunities in the joint development of guided artillery, missiles, torpedos and associated subsystems.

Al Marar added: “As our agreement with Roketsan matures, we look forward to accelerating our product portfolios through a combined, focused effort, and furthering our relationship as leading developers and manufacturers of smart weapon solutions.”

 The agreement with Roketsan is the latest bilateral engagement between EDGE and Türkiye’s defence industry.

In October 2023, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with SAHA Istanbul, a respected association representing more than 1,000 Turkish defence companies. 

Part of EDGE’s Trading & Mission Support cluster, EPI has been contracted to produce prototype aluminium and assembly parts for the Coyote programme for Raytheon, a company under RTX. 

As part of the first contract awarded by Raytheon, EPI will supply prototype quantities of machined aluminium and assembly parts for the Coyote counter-UAS interceptor, including manufacturing, complex machining, special processes and surface treatments, quality assurance, and sub-assembly of the parts and their materials.

This deal follows an MoU with Raytheon Emirates announced during the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) this year.

Michael Deshaies, EPI CEO, said: “This contract also represents a significant step in our goals to expand our machining portfolio, localise national manufacturing capabilities, and increase the threshold for ‘Made in the UAE’ exported parts.”

EPI also signed a ‘letter of intent’ with the Thales Group, which develops advanced technologies within defence, digital identity and security, aeronautics and space, and transport.

The deal will enable joint exploration of procurement opportunities for industrial parts and engineering services. 

The partnership falls under the Thales ‘Go to UAE’ initiative, which aims to forge an industrial footprint by growing local suppliers for local and export needs through a range of international certifications for technologies, parts and services.

EDGE Group entity, HALCON, which designs and produces guided weapons systems, signed a contract with Augmented Reality Engineering (AR Engineering), a UAE software development company.

 As part of the agreement, HALCON will receive digital twins of their cost-effective, short-range precision-guided munitions (PGMs) as well as related software from AR Engineering.

Al Marar said: “AR Engineering’s digital twin solutions will greatly benefit everyone involved in the life cycle of PGMs, from engineers to end-users, and we look forward to empowering our employees further with this cutting-edge technology.”

A digital twin is a digital model of a physical product or system that serves as an effectively indistinguishable digital counterpart, with applications in simulation, integration, testing, monitoring, and maintenance.