EDGE, one of the world’s fastest growing and leading advanced technology and defence groups, has concluded its highly successful participation at IDEX 2023, launching 14 new products, including 11 breakthrough autonomous and unmanned products and solutions, the signing of new contracts and deals worth AED 18.6 billion US$ 5.1 billion), of which AED 4 billion was in international export deals, and several partnerships and agreements signed with leading OEMs, defence and technology companies, and suppliers.

As the Strategic Partner, EDGE boasted the largest presence at the five-day event, garnering the attention of several royal delegations and dignitaries from around the world, including His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and other senior members of the UAE’s leadership, as well as other dignitaries, politicians, and prospective customers.

Major deals signed at the event included a landmark EUR 1 billion export deal with the Angolan Navy to build and export a fleet of best-in-class 71 metre corvettes, and major contracts worth over AED9 billion with the UAE Armed Forces for EDGE’s THUNDER and DESERT STING 25 Precision-Guided Munitions; SHADOW 25 and SHADOW 50, and HUNTER Loitering Munitions; and a contract valued at AED 4 billion to provide tactical communications and data-link solutions to the UAE Armed Forces.

EDGE also signed over 20 agreements and joint ventures with several major industry players including Raytheon Emirates, ICOMM, John Cockerill, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, HAL, L3Harris, and Fincantieri, among others.

Also included on the EDGE stand were new companies in which it has recently acquired major shareholdings, including autonomous solutions specialist High Lander, Milrem Robotics, Europe’s leader in the fields of robotics and autonomous systems, in which EDGE has a controlling share, and Abu Dhabi-based GRADEONE Group, which specialises in providing military hardware, equipment, pyrotechnics, ammunition, and supplies to various military, law enforcement and rescue services. Consequently, High Lander showcased their next-generation Universal UTM solution for UAVs, while Milrem Robotics presented the THeMIS and Multiscope unmanned ground vehicles, as well as the Type-X unmanned combat vehicle.

Mansour AlMulla, Managing Director and CEO of EDGE Group, said: “The great success of IDEX 2023 is evidence of the continued innovation of the defence sector, and the huge strides EDGE has made over the last three years. EDGE continues to disrupt the industry, pushing the boundaries of advanced technology across multiple domains with a focus on autonomous capabilities, smart weapons, and electronic warfare - all areas in which EDGE is rapidly becoming recognised as a global leader.”

“The 14 cutting-edge products we have launched this week, and the large multi-billion dollar national and international contracts and deals signed, are a clear indication that we are on the right trajectory to achieving our goals and ambitions as we bolster our sovereign capabilities and increase our global footprint through exports,” he added.

Major EDGE developments at IDEX 2023 included:

• EDGE Signs Major EUR 1 Billion Milestone Deal with Angolan Navy
• EDGE Launches 11 New Breakthrough Autonomous and Unmanned Solutions
• EDGE’s CARACAL Unveils New Light Machine Gun
• EDGE Unveils SKYSHIELD Counter-UAS Solution at IDEX 2023
• EDGE Awarded Contract Worth AED 2.14 Billion to Supply THUNDER Precision-Guided Munitions to the UAE Armed Forces
• EDGE Awarded AED 1.33 Billion Contract to Supply SHADOW Systems to the UAE Armed Forces
• EDGE Awarded Contract Worth AED 1.1 Billion to Supply HUNTER Loitering Munitions to the UAE Armed Forces
• EDGE Awarded AED 4.7 Billion Contract to Supply DESERT STING 25 to the UAE Armed Forces
• EDGE Announces AED 70 Million Contracts for V-PROTECT and SKYSHIELD Solutions
• EDGE to Supply Intelligence Capabilities to the UAE Armed Forces in AED 4 Billion Deal
• EDGE to Supply AJBAN Internal Security Vehicles to Abu Dhabi Police in AED 72 Million Deal
• EDGE Successfully Completes Tests of Airborne Cellular Solution
• EDGE awarded AED 1 billion contract to supply AL TARIQ PGMs to UAE Armed Forces
• EDGE to Supply Thermal Sights to UAE Armed Forces in AED 91 million deal

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 20 entities into four core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Electronic Warfare & Cyber Technologies, and Trading & Mission Support.