Idex 2025: UAE awards $6.8 billion in contracts at region's biggest defence expo

Fifth day of exhibition in Abu Dhabi sees signing of 15 contracts worth Dh1.43 billion

Local companies were awarded a bulk share of the deals by the UAE Armed Forces at Idex. Antonie Robertson/The National

The UAE awarded 55 defence contracts worth Dh25.15 billion ($6.8 billion) during the five days of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, the largest defence and security expo in the Middle East.

Up to 68 per cent of the deals were awarded to local companies at Idex, which opened on Monday.

On Friday, the UAE Armed Forces awarded 11 contracts worth Dh766.3 million to local companies. International firms landed four deals valued at Dh661.6 million, said officials at Tawazun Council, the defence and security regulator and acquisitions authority. The total value of deals on day five of the event reached Dh1.43 billion.

On the first day, the UAE awarded contracts worth Dh3.97 billion, while on the second, third and fourth days, deals totalled Dh5.8 billion, Dh10.18 billion and Dh3.77 billion, respectively.

UAE and regional defence and security companies, as well as some of the biggest names in the industry from around the globe participated in the five-day event. They included US defence major Lockheed Martin, the UK’s BAE Systems, Sweden’s Saab, Italy’s Leonardo, Airbus, European group MBDA and Russia’s Rosoboronexport. Defence firms from Ukraine and Israel also exhibited weapon systems, battle-tested technologies and military hardware.

UAE defence conglomerate Edge and its subsidiaries, including small arms manufacturer Caracal and military vehicles producer Nimr, also bagged several contracts and forged international partnerships during the biannual event.

Edge's $2.9 billion haul

In aggregate, Edge made Dh10.6 billion in new sales during Idex 2025 and clinched 16 contracts with the UAE Armed Forces, the company said.

The deals include a €500 million ($523.34 million) deal by Maestral, a joint venture between Edge and Fincantieri, to support the UAE navy, as well as a Dh3.6 billion deal with the UAE Ministry of Defence to supply aerial munitions, and a Dh226.9 million contract for the supply of advanced GPS Protect anti-jamming systems. The company also signed 32 strategic international agreements.

“Edge is firmly committed to playing a pivotal role in the strengthening of the UAE’s indigenous defence offerings, to continuously disrupting the industry, and our own capabilities, with faster development, speedier delivery, and at revolutionary price points,” Hamad Al Marar, Edge Group managing director and chief executive, said.

Lockheed Martin was among the international companies that signed deals on the fifth day. The UAE awarded the US company a Dh429.4 million contract to adapt the new sidewinder missiles. It also signed a Dh153.5 million deal with South Africa's GEW Technologies for a wireless jamming system.

The Armed Forces also signed a Dh55.1 million deal with US-based Insitu to provide maintenance and repair services for drone systems, and a contract worth Dh23.6 million with France's Safran Helicopter Engines to provide spare parts as well as technical and engineering support.

Among the local companies, the International Golden Group clinched the biggest deal, worth Dh180 million, to renew licences, programmes and maintain the infrastructure of electronic health record systems, as well as a Dh145.3 million contract to supply ammunition.

New deals were also signed with Etimad Strategic Security Solutions for a vehicle worth Dh26.8 million and a contract with Fast Marine Boats to provide technical support services for Dh68.8 million.

A deal with Al Aberah Electrical to provide technical support services is worth Dh22.5 million. Other deals include a Dh30 million agreement with E-marine and a Dh29 million deal with Al Taif to provide maintenance services for cooling and power generators for air defence systems.

The UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy, aims to boost its defence manufacturing capabilities as part of its economic transformation agenda to reduce reliance on hydrocarbons. The Operation 300 Billion strategy seeks to increase the industrial sector's contribution to GDP from Dh133 billion in 2021 to Dh300 billion by 2031.

Agreement with e&

Separately, Katim, an Edge entity, announced a partnership with e& UAE to work on strengthening the security of critical communication technologies.

The two businesses will collaborate on the continued development and integration of the Katim X3M ultra-secure smartphone, the deployment of Katim Gateways for enhanced data protection, and the implementation of the Katim Secure App, X4, to provide an additional layer of encrypted communication capabilities.

“As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the need for secure and resilient communication solutions has never been greater,” Didier Pagnoux, chief executive of Katim, said.

“Our collaboration with e& UAE enables us to push the boundaries of cybersecurity and provide next-generation encryption technologies that ensure absolute data integrity for all.”

Abu Dhabi Ship Building, also part of the Edge Group, signed an initial agreement with Italy’s Intermarine to explore opportunities in the naval sector and drive mutual business growth in the UAE and international markets.

Edge is also teaming up with OSI Maritime Solutions to explore the feasibility of transferring OSI’s technology, software and expertise to establish a local unit for designing, building and delivering scalable “integrated bridge systems” for naval defence and civil customers.

Brazil collaboration

Edge's Brazilian unit Siatt will also be awarded a deal by the Brazilian navy to supply advanced Mansup anti-ship missiles, while Condor, another subsidiary of Edge, signed a contract with Brazil’s Senappen, valued at 7 million Brazilian reais ($1.2 million) to upgrade prison security infrastructure, it was announced on Friday.

Edge has opened an office in Brazil as it plans to consolidate its presence in the country and enter new export markets, including Argentina and Paraguay, for its defence products.