Post by : Badri Ariffin

Abu Dhabi – In a move set to reshape defence and commercial aviation in the Middle East, EDGE, a leading technology and defence group, and Anduril, a U.S.-based defence tech firm, have announced a joint venture aimed at accelerating the design, production, and deployment of advanced autonomous systems.

The collaboration, named the EDGE–Anduril Production Alliance, will serve as a regional hub for modern defence and commercial manufacturing. By combining EDGE’s local presence with Anduril’s software-driven development expertise, the partnership intends to deliver scalable, operational autonomous air systems for both military and civilian missions.

Groundbreaking Autonomous Air Vehicle: Omen

The joint venture’s first project is the Omen, a hover-to-cruise autonomous air vehicle. Compact yet powerful, Omen merges long-range endurance, heavy payload capability, and runway-independent flexibility. Designed for rapid deployment, a two-person team can assemble and launch it in minutes.

Omen is envisioned for a wide array of missions: maritime surveillance, logistics resupply, air defence sensing, communications relay, disaster response, and humanitarian aid. Its modular architecture allows reconfiguration for commercial applications, such as providing airborne connectivity or delivering essential supplies to remote locations.

Strategic Investments and Local Production

The UAE has confirmed an initial acquisition of 50 Omen systems, anchoring production and accelerating local supply chains. EDGE and Anduril are co-investing nearly $200 million from EDGE and leveraging Anduril’s $850 million in mission autonomy technology to transition the aircraft from development to full-rate production by 2028.

The EDGE-Anduril Production Alliance will oversee production and sustainment facilities in the UAE, while U.S. orders will be manufactured at Anduril’s Ohio facility. In addition, a 50,000-square-foot research and development center in Abu Dhabi will serve as a regional hub for engineering, prototyping, and virtual simulation of future autonomous programs.

Bridging Innovation and Operational Capability

The partnership represents a concrete effort to shorten the gap between concept and operational deployment. By embedding cutting-edge software, AI-driven autonomy, and local manufacturing, the venture aims to create systems that are field-ready, scalable, and adaptable to both defence and commercial needs.

With this joint venture, the UAE strengthens its position as a regional leader in autonomous aerospace technologies, while the U.S.-based Anduril gains a trusted production and R&D base in the Middle East. Together, the alliance is setting a new benchmark for rapid innovation and operational readiness in the autonomous systems sector.

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