Company insight
EDGE takes the next giant leap towards autonomous warfare
On show at IDEX 2025 will be next-generation technologies that will shape the defence industry for years to come. EDGE, the UAE’s standout maker of sophisticated combat systems, is set to showcase its updated fleet, which blends more cost-efficient manned vehicles with advanced autonomous platforms. We speak to Khaled Al Zaabi, president of EDGE’s Platforms and Systems cluster, about the future.
T
oday, technological innovation is often synonymous with autonomy. Systems that can think and act for themselves, at least to some extent, are reshaping almost every industry – and the defence sector is no exception. In warfighting, the clear advantage is that fewer human lives are put at risk, but the days of manned vehicles are far from over.
Boots on the ground still play a key role, so transporting troops safely, quickly and efficiently is still a high priority. For makers of vehicle systems, this means a two-pronged approach to innovation and design is essential in order to mirror the evolution of warfare by shifting the emphasis towards autonomous, unmanned systems, while still catering for the conventional needs of customers. “With manned vehicles, it is about providing the best fit-for-purpose vehicles with the emphasis on cost reduction, which is the biggest driver in that area,” explains Khaled Al Zaabi, president of the Platforms and Systems cluster at UAE-based technology group EDGE. “How do we dramatically reduce cost, rethink the supply chain and the design? Land forces are a lot more price- sensitive these days.”
This cost sensitivity is due to the fact that manned vehicles are increasingly accompanied by more expensive unmanned systems, which are evolving to include larger heavy-duty vehicles. “Reducing cost without compromising on mission capability for manned vehicles and dramatically increasing the range
Khaled Al Zaabi, President, Platforms and Systems EDGE
ms
of missions that unmanned vehicles can perform is our goal,” says Al Zaabi. “We do that by ensuring we have most efficient supply chain and manufacturing processes – doing the boring stuff really well – while recognising the growing acceptance among end-users that unmanned systems can play a much larger role and that large-wheeled vehicles can carry larger weapons to be used on missions we never thought were feasible, acceptable or possible.”
A competitive EDGE
Founded in 2019, EDGE has quickly become one of the world’s leading advanced technology groups, and
it has a solid reputation for bringing breakthrough innovations to market. Its success is partly due to its ability to anticipate future risk scenarios and deliver commercial innovations for its precision defence solutions. “We are always reacting to market dynamics, proactively understanding what the industry is moving towards,” says Al Zaabi. “The days of vehicles will be behind us one day, and missions involving land forces are increasingly being questioned. Understanding how to multiply power with unmanned vehicles is inevitable.” “For now, however, we need really reliable manned and unmanned vehicles that are competitive,” he adds. “Nevertheless, there is more than innovation in autonomous systems, which are reaching a new level of maturity. So, we are making sure we have the right platform. We have the right vehicles, so we need to develop the right products
The THeMIS is a multi-role UGV for dismounted infantry support. Defence & Security Systems International /
www.defence-and-security.com
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