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ABU DHABI/ WAM
As the UAE’s national champion for advanced technology and defence manufacturing, EDGE Group is using its presence at the Make it in the Emirates Forum 2025 (MIITE 2025) to showcase its central role in accelerating the UAE’s sovereign defence industry and building a globally competitive industrial ecosystem.\
In alignment with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s (MoIAT) ‘Make it in the Emirates’ and Operation 300bn initiatives, EDGE has localised a significant portion of its material procurement, with spending on local suppliers set to directly contribute to the growth of in-country value. This milestone reflects the group’s long-term strategy to shift reliance away from imported materials and reinforce national industrial resilience.
HALCON, an EDGE entity specialising in smart weapon systems, has played a pivotal role in this effort, directing more than AED100 million in orders to 26 UAE-based manufacturers.
Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO, EDGE Group, said, “In line with the UAE leadership’s vision, EDGE has established one of the world’s most advanced and agile defence industries. We are accelerating the growth of national manufacturing capabilities, strengthening local supply chains, and positioning the UAE as a serious global contender in defence and advanced technology.
“Our strategy is sharply focused on scaling production, embedding innovation, and driving efficiency at every stage of development and delivery. With continued investment in local talent, smart manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 transformation, we are delivering tangible results across all fronts. Since the last MIITE forum, EDGE has expanded its facilities, accelerated Research and Development (R&D) in key areas, and significantly increased national workforce participation in technical and engineering roles. As we continue to localise core capabilities, we are laying the foundations for a sovereign, self-sustainable, and globally competitive defence ecosystem—designed and built in the UAE for national security priorities as well as international export.”
Further reinforcing its role in shaping the UAE’s industrial landscape, EDGE is collaborating with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to co-develop specialised systems and expand the national defence supply chain. One such example is the RABDA aeronautical engine, a lightweight, compact, high-performance engine designed to integrate into the REACH-S and REACH-M platforms. The RABDA engine is on display at MIITE 2025 as a symbol of the growing capability and potential of locally engineered systems and technologies.
EDGE’s industrial growth is matched by its strong investment in national talent. Since 2022, the Group has recorded an 84 percent increase in Emiratis employed in manufacturing roles and a 143 percent increase in Emirati technicians. These results reflect a targeted approach to building a skilled local workforce, supported by extensive upskilling initiatives, hands-on technical training, and the integration of Emiratis into high-value engineering and production roles across EDGE entities.
EDGE’s award-winning Learning & Innovation Factory (LIF) has reached a major milestone, training over 4,000 individuals in just three years. This achievement follows a strategic agreement with MoIAT to fast-track the digital transformation of high-potential manufacturers in the UAE. Under this framework, LIF will serve as the strategic partner and delivery arm of the ministry’s Transform 4.0 programme—supporting the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and the development of advanced smart manufacturing facilities.
EDGE is also advancing Industry 4.0 transformation across its operations, with automation driving increases of up to 100 percent in production capacity, up to 70 percent in storage efficiency, and improvements of over 40 percent in both throughput and product quality. Over 65 projects have already been delivered, transforming 24 production facilities across 10 EDGE entities. These efforts have directly enhanced the capabilities of 1,100 employees and generated more than AED 180 million in cumulative value to date.
EDGE now operates more than 170 manufacturing and assembly facilities across the UAE, forming one of the largest and most advanced industrial footprints in the region. These facilities are central to EDGE’s ability to design, produce, and deliver complex systems at speed and scale.
As part of this expanding infrastructure, ADVANCED CONCEPTS, an EDGE entity focused on developing next-generation technologies, has recently enhanced its independent rapid prototyping capabilities and launched a new computer numerical control (CNC) machining facility. These capabilities are critical to accelerating the R&D of the UAE’s key autonomous systems and smart weapons programmes.