EDGE Group

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EDGE Group PJSC
Native name
Arabic: مجموعة إيدج ش.م.ع‎
TypePublic Joint Stock Company
IndustryAdvanced Technology, Defence
PredecessorEmirates Defence Industries Company
FoundedNovember 5, 2019; 22 months ago (2019-11-05) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Headquarters
Abu Dhabi
,
United Arab Emirates
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Faisal Al Bannai (CEO & MD)
RevenueUS$5 billion
Number of employees
13,000
SubsidiariesSee list
Websiteedgegroup.ae

EDGE Group (Arabic: مجموعة إيدج‎) is an advanced technology group that develops disruptive solutions[buzzword] for defence and beyond. It is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

History[]

On 5 November 2019, EDGE was formed consolidating more than 25 entities, from Emirates Defence Industries Company (EDIC), Emirates Advanced Investments Group (EAIG), Tawazun Holding, and other independent organisations.[1] The company has a combined annual revenue of over US$5 billion and has more than 13,000 employees working across its five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Cyber Defence, Electronic Warfare & Intelligence, and Mission Support.[2][3]

At Dubai Airshow 2019, EDGE was the official Advanced Technology Partner.[citation needed] Group’s 11 participating showcased their range of capabilities which included unmanned aerial vehicles, long-range munitions including the UAE-made ADASI RW-24. AMMROC also announced its plan to open a maintenance facility connected to Al Ain International Airport.[4]

EDGE's entity HALCON signed a US$1 billion contract in November 2019 to deliver its Desert Sting lightweight precision guided missiles to UAE Armed Forces.[5]

Later, GAL part of the Mission Support Cluster within EDGE Group, signed a contract with Kenya’s Ministry of Defence to provide MRO services to the Kenyan Air Force. GAL also signed an AED 3.5 billion support contract with the UAE’s Joint Aviation Command.[6][5]

EDGE joined Tawdheef, the UAE’s leading event for Emiratisation,[7] and the second edition of the biennial Mohamed bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge 2020 (MBZIRC 2020), as the official Advanced Technology Partner in January 2020.[8]

EDGE’s ADASI also launched its VTOL made in UAE drone at UMEX in February 2020.[9]

According to CNBC, the goal of the company is to produce its own defence products and rely less on US and other importers.[4]

In 2017, the CG Haenel group, under EDGE, bid to acquire the contract to supply 120,000 assault rifles to Germany’s Bundeswehr, against Heckler & Koch.[10] [11] In September 2020, the Defense Ministry of Germany announced that CG Haenel secured the contract of $250 million.[12] However, in early October 2020, the award was lifted by the Defense Ministry, due to patent infringement and risk to the taxpayers’ money.[13] [14]

In December 2020 SIPRI reported EDGE ranked 22nd in the worlds largest arms companies list.[citation needed] According to Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme "EDGE is a good illustration of how the combination of high national demand for military products and services with a desire to become less dependent on foreign suppliers is driving the growth of arms companies in the Middle East." The sales of arms and military services by the largest 25 companies totalled US$361 billion in 2019, with EDGE accounting for 1.3 percent of this total arms sales.[15] According to DefenseNews.com 2021 July report EDGE group is the 24th largest defense contractor.

Subsidiaries[]

  • C. G. Haenel
  • AMMROC
  • ADSB
  • Al TARIQ
  • EARTH
  • ADASI
  • Al JASOOR
  • Al TAIF
  • APT
  • BEACON RED
  • EPI
  • ERS
  • JAHEZIYA
  • ETS
  • GAL
  • HALCON
  • HORIZON
  • KNOWLEDGE POINT
  • LAHAB
  • REMAYA
  • SIGN4L

References[]

  1. ^ Helou, Agnes (6 November 2019). "UAE launches 'Edge' conglomerate to address its 'antiquated military industry'". Defense News. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Abu Dhabi defence group Edge looks to smart technology to tackle low-tech militants". The National. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  3. ^ "Could EDGE boost R&D in the UAE?". Wamda. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Turak, Natasha (2019-11-18). "The UAE, a major US weapons buyer, is building its own defense capabilities". CNBC. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Can EDGE help the UAE build a new market?". Army Technology. 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  6. ^ "Will a new domestic defence giant give the UAE an edge in the global market? - Global Defence Technology | Issue 107 | January 2020". defence.nridigital.com. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  7. ^ "EDGE Joins Tawdheef as Advanced Technology Partner". Construction Business News Middle East. 2020-01-21. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  8. ^ "EDGE announced as Advanced Technology Partner for Mohamed bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge 2020, organised by Khalifa University". wam. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  9. ^ "UAE's first locally-made drone unveiled at Umex". The National. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  10. ^ "Heckler & Koch bids to replace its own tarnished gun". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Bundeswehr Narrows Rifle Choice: Heckler & Koch vs Haenel". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Germany's Heckler & Koch loses out in bid for Bundeswehr assault rifle". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Secret paper: That's what the Bundeswehr really pays for the new assault rifle - and that's how tight the armory Heckler & Koch lost the duel". Business Insider. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Secret agreement with the Bundeswehr authority? Order for new assault rifle to CG Haenel possibly illegal". Business Insider. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Global arms industry: Sales by the top 25 companies up 8.5 per cent; Big players active in Global South". sipri.org. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  16. ^ "NIMR". nimr.edgegroup.ae. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  17. ^ Awad Mustafa (2015-02-21). "EDIC Acquires 5 More Companies". defensenews.com. Retrieved 2017-11-14.
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