UAE leads in advanced defense industry ecosystem development

EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups, and Fincantieri, one of the world’s leading groups in high-complexity shipbuilding, announced  that MAESTRAL, their Abu Dhabi-based shipbuilding joint venture, will be awarded a major ‘In-Service Support Strategic Partnership Project’ (ISS) for the entire UAE Navy fleet by Tawazun Council.

Tawazun Council is an independent government entity that works closely with the Ministry of Defence and security agencies in the UAE. The value of the agreement is of approximately 500 million euros over a five-year period.

The contract award announcement was attended by Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director & CEO, EDGE Group, Rodrigo Torres, CFO, Edge Group, Biagio Mazzotta, Chairman of Fincantieri, Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, and Dario Deste, General Manager of the Naval Vessels Division of Fincantieri.

Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Tawazun Council, stated that the IDEX and NAVDEX 2025 exhibitions are among the most significant global events shaping the future of the defence and security industries. These events highlight the UAE’s leading position in developing an advanced national defence industry ecosystem that is globally competitive and contributes to international stability. In statements to the Emirates News Agency on the occasion of the exhibitions, Dr. Nasser Nuaimi emphasised that Tawazun Council continues to play a pivotal role in achieving sustainable economic development and enhancing local content by formulating strategic policies for the defence industry. The council also manages the Economic Offset Programme, develops defence and security industrial zones, and contributes to job creation in knowledge-based, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence sectors. Additionally, it works on empowering startups, increasing their competitiveness, boosting investment incentives, developing national talent, and supporting innovation, research, and development.

MAESTRAL will serve as the Industrial Strategic Partner, overseeing comprehensive maintenance management of the UAE Navy to meet key operational and logistic needs, and supporting UAE Navy’s transformation journey to new levels of performance over the next five years.Hamad Al Marar, EDGE Group Managing Director & CEO, said, “This contract award underscores the trust placed in MAESTRAL’s advanced capabilities by our major customer, and important stakeholders worldwide. Together with Fincantieri, we are fully confident that these capabilities will provide valuable opportunities from which this unique joint venture can utilise its vast resources and pool of experience available to deliver superior maritime vessels, turnkey solutions, and lifecycle maintenance services, to deliver commercial successes to all partners involved.”Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri CEO and Managing Director, stated, “This contract marks a pivotal step in Fincantieri’s growth in the region and reinforces our long-standing commitment to fostering industrial partnerships that deliver excellence. It also reflects the shared vision and synergy between Fincantieri and EDGE through the MAESTRAL joint venture. We are proud to stand alongside the UAE Navy as a trusted partner, ensuring sustained support, cutting-edge technology, and world-class maintenance services that meet the evolving needs of modern naval operations”.

EDGE entity KATIM, a leader in the development of innovative and ultra-secure communications and data protection solutions, and Indra Sistemas (Indra), a Spanish information technology and defence systems company with a footprint in over 140 countries worldwide, are partnering to deliver cutting-edge ultra-secure communication software and hardware solutions into the Spanish and NATO markets. The announcement was signed at the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) 2025 currently underway at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), by Waleid Al Mesmari, President, Space and Cyber Technologies, EDGE, and José Vicente de los Mozo, Indra CEO.

Speaking on the occasion, Waleid Al Mesmari said, “This undertaking within our partnership with Indra marks a significant milestone in delivering innovative secure communication solutions to Spanish and NATO markets. By bringing together KATIM’s expertise in cyber-secure communications and Indra’s extensive European defence experience, we are well-positioned to support the evolving security needs of allied nations.”José Vicente de los Mozo said, “This exciting partnership with KATIM reinforces our commitment to providing the most advanced defence and security technologies to our partners and stakeholders. Through this collaboration, we aim to enhance interoperability and resilience in ultra-secure communications for both NATO and Spanish defence sectors.”

EDGE, Kintsugi Holding, a technology company that delivers game-changing, competitive and highly reliable products and systems to customers in both the public and private sectors, and the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority (ADCDA), the government entity responsible for fire safety, emergency response, and disaster management, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly augment Abu Dhabi’s emergency response infrastructure.