Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) and EDGE Group, UAE, signed a cooperation agreement Thursday on the sidelines of Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS 202) which was held at Sakhir Airbase this past week (9-11 November).
The agreement was signed by Colonel Isa Khalifa Al Jeeran, the head of the Military Institution for the Development of Warfare Industries at the Bahrain Defence Force, and Hamad Al Marar, President of the Missiles & Weapons cluster of EDGE, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.
The cooperation reflects the depth of the strong relationship between Bahrain and the UAE, consolidated by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander, and UAE President HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Al Jeeran said.
The agreement reinforces the military relationship between the two countries, he added.
Based on the directives of BDF Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa to increase cooperation and interest in industrialization, the project is a remarkable outcome of the Bahrain-UAE relations, he said.
The idea of industrialization was initiated by HM the King by a royal decree., which led to competencies harnessed by the BDF to move to the stages of development and progress and launching the industrialization process.
He hailed the BDF as a highly capable institution that has for 50 years qualified its staff through advanced training and deep knowledge in various fields and specializations, especially the military industries.
The move to the industrialization stage consolidates three main elements - the increase and exchange of industrial knowledge and military expertise in the BDF, building Bahraini expertise capable of manufacturing, and achieving self-sufficiency, even by 50%, and this is a positive development amidst the challenges faced by various countries.
Al Marar said that the agreement is important for the UAE national industry, and necessary to extend to the GCC countries.
“Bahrain is one of the most important countries with which we have a distinguished partnership and cooperation in all fields, and this agreement is an important Emirati investment that will be launched from Bahrain for several Economic and security considerations,” he added.
“It will also be one of the branches that will boost the position of the arms manufacturer in the region, and increase productivity outside the UAE in the future.
The investment will benefit the peoples of the region by providing the best equipment and technologies that will serve manufacturing and the sector defense and other fields,” he stressed.
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.
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.
