Abu Dhabi defence company Edge Group has opened a new subsidiary in France to serve as its base for aggressively expanding investments and co-operation in Europe.
Edge Europe, headquartered in Paris, will focus on delivering sovereign defence capability to meet current security environment demands, the company said on Thursday.
The venture comprises two units – a main office in Chaillot that will spearhead government engagement and partnerships, and an engineering and manufacturing centre in Bordeaux.
The company did not disclose the value of its investment in the new subsidiary.
Edge Europe also plans to recruit and develop talent from the continent, creating engineering and industrial jobs.
It will focus on the opportunity to tap into France's vast defence industry, led by plane maker Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Thales.
On a broader scale, Edge's strategy for Europe has long been in the making, the firm having acquired stakes in key companies across the continent, including Estonia's Milrem Robotics, Switzerland's Anavia and Poland's Flaris.
In Italy, Edge plans to acquire CMD and team up with Fincantieri, Indra Sistemas, Leonardo and Safran. It signed a deal with Spain’s EM&E Group in February to form a joint venture in the UAE.
“Europe stands at a defining moment for its defence and Edge has come to be part of its future,” said Faisal Al Bannai, chairman of Edge Group.
The UAE continues to boost its defence industry, seeking more partnerships to tap into the latest technology.
Edge, formed in 2019 to consolidate the Emirates’ defence assets, is leading the charge, enhancing collaboration with defence groups across the globe.
It has expanded its global footprint through a series of agreements in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Deals have involved precision weapons, naval platforms and electronic warfare systems.
The opening of Edge Europe comes as relations between the UAE and France are flourishing, part of a broader Emirati strategy to forge stronger ties with European Union members and the bloc as a whole.
The UAE and the EU began negotiations last year on a Strategic Partnership Agreement to deepen ties between the Arab world’s second-largest economy and the bloc.
“Edge Europe pairs the speed of a new generation of defence company with the depth of an established industrial group and we build hand-in-hand with our partners,” Mr Al Bannai said. “This is the model Europe's defence needs next and we intend to drive it here.”
Edge defence systems were responsible for eliminating more than 85 per cent of the Iranian drones launched at the UAE at the height of the Iran war.
