Dh55 million aerospace centre to be built in Abu Dhabi

Khalifa University and Mubadala Development Company jointly fund centre that will establish state-of-the-art research facilities.

ABU DHABI // A Dh55 million aerospace research and innovation centre, jointly funded by Khalifa University and Mubadala Development, was announced on Tuesday.

About half of the money will be invested in establishing facilities, with the rest going towards research and development projects directly related to the needs of the UAE aerospace industry.

The launch on Tuesday was attended by Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court and vice chairman of the university’s board of trustees.

Homaid Al Shemmari, executive director of Mubadala Aerospace Communications Technology and Defence Services, explained the need for the new centre.

“To make the aerospace industry in Abu Dhabi truly viable, competitive and sustainable on a global scale, two fundamental elements need to be addressed: building local know-how and creating a research and development ecosystem,” Mr Al Shemmari said.

“Not only will the research centre develop essential future technologies, but it will also fill the skills gap in providing young Emiratis with essential training in aerospace and empower future talent.

“We are confident that Khalifa University is the ideal partner for us in this field and we are always looking to develop aspects of cooperation with them.”

Prof Tod Laursen, president of Khalifa University, said the project was “another important milestone towards producing regionally relevant research and providing the skills and human capital necessary for a sustainable aerospace industry in the UAE”.