Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
As the UAE accelerates its industrial ambitions, defence manufacturing and economic localisation are increasingly moving in lockstep, with EDGE Group reporting an in-country value (ICV) contribution of Dh596 million in 2025, its CEO said.
Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO of EDGE Group, said this figure - which reflects the company's contribution to the local economy - underscores how defence industrial development is reinforcing national localisation goals.
Speaking to Aletihad during Make it in the Emirates (MIITE), Al Marar stressed that the UAE's flagship industrial programme, Operation 300bn, is already in motion, shifting from discussion to implementation.
"Operation 300bn is not an aspiration on paper, it is a coordinated national effort that has already doubled industrial exports since 2020," he said, adding that the UAE is executing industrial policy while other markets are still debating theirs.
Al Marar also pointed to the UAE's ability to attract global partners, saying companies choose the country because it has become a "genuine hub for innovation" positioned at a unique intersection of the world's markets.
"From here, we can serve the needs of customers across the Gulf, Africa, Asia, and beyond. That reach is rare, and it is a strategic advantage that few other locations can offer," he said.
EDGE's participation in MIITE reflects both national priorities and its own expansion strategy, particularly in localising critical defence subsystems and strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities.
"We are building a defence industrial base that enhances in-country value and strengthens sovereign capabilities, positioning the UAE as a technology leader and exporter of UAE-made defence and security products," Al Marar said.
He said new agreements announced at the forum further reinforce international confidence in the UAE as a base for co-development and manufacturing.
How Resilience is Built
At the operational level, EDGE's growth has been shaped by long-term investment in resilience and advanced technologies, leaving it well prepared for recent regional developments.
"We have been preparing for moments like this since the day EDGE was launched," Al Marar said.
"Our entire purpose is to meet the demands of the UAE Armed Forces, and the work we have done over the years meant that when pressure arrived, we did not pause. We continued producing. We continued delivering."
He said this level of readiness during periods of pressure is the result of deliberate planning and a culture of foresight ingrained within the company.
"We had already been embedding Industry 4.0 capabilities, and increasingly Industry 5.0 principles, across our production facilities, and that sustained investment proved decisive. Across 28 production facilities and hangars, we completed 68 Industry 4.0 transformation projects on schedule," Al Marar said.
This meant capacity doubled in its key product's assembly line, so when demand surged, its facilities were positioned to meet it, he added.
"The lesson we would offer to any industrial organisation is this: resilience is not built in a crisis. It is built before one." Beyond technology, he stressed the importance of human capital and ecosystem development, describing UAE industrial zones as integrated environments that bring together industry, academia, and government to accelerate innovation.
EDGE, he said, operates as part of a broader national effort rather than as a standalone player, supported by trade frameworks such as CEPA agreements that have significantly boosted export performance in recent years.
