EDGE Champions ‘Made in the UAE' Defence Capabilities at MIITE 2025 - Middle East Business News and Information
170 manufacturing and assembly facilities in operation across Abu Dhabi
Over 65 'Industry 4.0' transformation projects have been completed across 24 production facilities
4,000+ individuals trained by the award-winning EDGE Learning and Innovation Factory
The Group has significantly strengthened its local supply chain to maximise in-country value
Abu Dhabi, UAE: May 2025 – 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 AED 100 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% increase in Emiratis employed in manufacturing roles and a 143% 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% in production capacity, up to 70% in storage efficiency, and improvements of over 40% 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.
Attendees of MIITE 2025 can visit EDGE and its portfolio of companies at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi in Hall 6 until 22nd May.
About EDGE:
Launched in November 2019, the UAE's EDGE is one of the world's leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly-skilled talent to thrive.
With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials. EDGE converges R&D, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and commercial market innovations with military capabilities to develop disruptive solutions tailored to the specific requirements of its customers. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 35 entities into six core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Trading & Mission Support, Technology & Innovation, and Homeland Security.
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