Following on from the recent Korea-UAE summit, Hanwha Aerospace and EDGE Group inked an MoU at the Dubai Air Show this week outlining potential collaboration in uncrewed platforms, defence AI technologies and maritime defence. Leveraging Hanwha’s portfolio of technologies alongside EDGE’s expanding industrial ecosystem, the MoU builds on the political agreement of both governments to strengthen bilateral defence ties and industrial partnerships.
Early discussions include advanced air defence technologies aimed at enabling multi-layered integrated systems tailored to Emirati requirements as well as possible models for indigenous production, sustainment and training. Leveraging AI for future capability development is high on the two companies’ agenda, as is the further development of concepts in uncrewed ground systems, shipbuilding and maritime MRO.
“Through this MoU, Hanwha aims to open a pathway for meaningful dialogue and collaboration with EDGE in areas that are important to both countries. We look forward to evaluating opportunities that could contribute to the UAE’s defence resilience and create long-term industrial value,” commented Sung Il, President of Hanwha Middle East and Africa. Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO, EDGE, added “This understanding reflects a shared ambition to advance the next generation of defence capabilities. Hanwha’s strengths across key domains, combined with our growing industrial base, create momentum for systems that strengthen national resilience and expand the UAE’s role as a leader in advanced technology. We see real potential to shape programs that deliver lasting value for both nations.”
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If seen through to its logical conclusion, this alliance of complementary, like-minded companies has the potential to be truly disruptive in those markets that lack sovereign capability themselves. The combination will be able to compete with legacy integrators who are getting their own way less and less frequently. More importantly, perhaps, they will be able to ally financial expertise and geopolitical influence with high energy industrial activity, leveraging a growing, dynamic technology base. This combine is worth keeping a very close eye on for the foreseeable future.
Caption: EDGE Group’s assets in uncrewed ground vehicles, for example, include the THeMIS produced by subsidiary Milrem Robotics. Hanwha has its own multiple UGV programmes such as Arion-SMET and GRUNT. Combining the best of both worlds could produce some interesting results. Image courtesy EDGE Group
