en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UAE state-owned defense group Edge Group is accelerating adjustments to its production strategy and re-evaluating some partnerships under the impact of the war with Iran. Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director of the company, stated at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris that the conflict, which has spread across the Gulf region, has become a "testing ground" for the company, enabling it to distinguish reliable allies from purely commercial partners. Some partnerships may be re-evaluated due to unreliable suppliers, prompting the company to seek technology from other sources.
Al Marar revealed that the war has tested the resilience of Edge Group's supply chain. Although Iran launched thousands of drones and hundreds of missiles at multiple locations in the UAE, the company largely maintained production thanks to sufficient materials stockpiled before the war. In isolated cases, costly air freight had to be used to ensure the continuous supply of critical materials. He cited an example where, through collaboration with its national partners, key equipment was transported across borders within hours. The Port of Fujairah, not directly exposed to Iran, became a valuable logistics hub.
Edge Group has increased production of some weapons and observed a shift in customer mindset. As a state-owned enterprise, the company has long worked closely with domestic customers to customize weapons, but the pressure of war has led customers to prefer rapid deployment of equipment over seeking perfect solutions. Edge has therefore shifted its focus to mass-producing various products first, followed by subsequent improvements. Additionally, the company benefits from a rapid feedback loop, as some of its employees also serve in the military. Edge has also learned from Ukrainian suppliers responsible for delivering systems to the UAE Armed Forces, gaining insights into the practical combat lessons of these systems without direct involvement.
In terms of technical cooperation, Edge Group plans to deepen its relationship with South Korean industry to meet some of the UAE's needs and explore export potential. For example, Edge may sell the Skynight short-range air defense system to Seoul, while also seeking to utilize South Korea's medium-range KM-SAM and long-range L-SAM systems to build the UAE's longer-range air and missile defense capabilities. Al Marar noted that the war has highlighted the need for the ability to destroy targets before they enter UAE airspace, and the emotional impact on the public from frequent missile and drone attack alerts has reinforced the urgency of neutralizing threats earlier.
Facing Iranian missile attacks, Al Marar believes that existing air defense technologies urgently need transformation. The high cost of intercepting the most advanced incoming missiles currently limits the number of interceptors that can be produced and stored. He pointed out that the production volume of threats far exceeds the production capacity of air defense missiles, necessitating a rethinking of air defense solutions and the construction of a layered defense system incorporating soft kill, hard kill, laser, and electromagnetic means.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
