A new partnership between the UAE’s EDGE Group and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense aims to shake up the smart weapons landscape by combining industrial scale and advanced systems know-how for export‑ready air‑to‑ground and potentially surface‑to‑air capabilities.
Officials from both companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Abu Dhabi to lay the groundwork for jointly developing, producing, and commercializing next‑generation smart weapons.
In its first phase, the agreement focuses on building on Safran’s existing systems and expanding their performance, while exploring future progression into surface‑to‑air missile development and other advanced capabilities.
EDGE brings industrial scale, advanced technology portfolios, and regional manufacturing presence to the table, while Safran contributes decades of experience in defense and navigation systems.
Hamad Al Marar, EDGE Group chief executive officer and managing director, said that the two companies “see clear potential to address evolving operational requirements across a broad range of international markets.”
EDGE Group Expands Global Footprint
Over the past two years, EDGE Group has actively broadened its international collaborations to reinforce both domestic capabilities and global market presence.
In November 2025, EDGE signed an MoU with Hanwha Aerospace to explore cooperation across advanced air and missile defense, long-range precision strike, unmanned systems, and defense AI.
Earlier in 2025, EDGE’s engineering firm EPI signed a letter of intent with Lockheed Martin, aiming to strengthen collaboration in aerospace and defense technologies. The same year, EDGE and Leonardo DRS formalized an MoU at IDEX 2025 to develop integrated defense solutions for the UAE Armed Forces.
EDGE has also pursued partnerships beyond traditional combat platforms. A planned joint venture with Leonardo in 2026 will establish the production of sensors, platforms, and integrated systems for domestic and select export markets.
In 2025, EDGE entered a landmark $7-billion cooperation with Republikorp in Indonesia to establish local defense manufacturing, technology transfer, and co-development programs covering air defense, unmanned systems, and advanced munitions.