Tawazun Defence Deals Total AED 879.785 Million On Day One Of UMEX SimTEX 2026

Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement announced four new Ministry of Defence contracts on the opening day of UMEX & SimTEX 2026, confirming a combined value of AED879.785 million and signalling strong demand for unmanned systems, simulation and training capabilities that support the UAE’s defence modernisation priorities and long-term industrial strategy.

The agreements, disclosed during a press conference at the exhibition, involve advanced unmanned platforms, logistics aircraft and remotely operated vehicles, and are intended to strengthen the operational readiness of the UAE Armed Forces while aligning procurement with national goals for technology transfer, economic diversification and the localisation of complex defence industries.

Tawazun Council, described as the national enabler responsible for converting defence and security priorities into institutional, industrial and economic outcomes across the UAE ecosystem, stated that the latest contracts also reinforce its mandate to expand local manufacturing, build strategic partnerships with international suppliers and encourage sustained investment in high-technology capabilities that can be integrated into the national defence and security infrastructure.

Official spokespersons Mohammed Saif Al Zaabi and Manea Abdulkarim Al Mansouri presented the details of the deals and indicated that additional contracts will be revealed during the remaining two days of UMEX & SimTEX 2026, highlighting continuing momentum in procurement programmes related to unmanned systems, simulation tools and training solutions across air, land and maritime domains.

Three of the four announced contracts were signed with EDGE Group, covering new unmanned ground vehicles, an unmanned logistics aircraft and rotary-wing unmanned platforms, while another contract was concluded with Diveco International for Military Equipment, part of Ramah International Group, for specialised remotely operated vehicles used in defence operations and support tasks.

The first EDGE Group contract concerns the development of SCORPIO S and SCORPIO M unmanned vehicles and is valued at AED28.883 million, while the second contract, worth AED22 million, covers converting a gyrocopter into an unmanned logistics aircraft, and the third EDGE agreement provides for the purchase of ANAVIA HT-100 aircraft at a value of AED661.194 million.

Diveco International for Military Equipment’s contract, signed under Ramah International Group, is valued at AED167.708 million and focuses on acquiring remotely operated vehicles, expanding the UAE’s inventory of ROVs that can support complex military missions, enhance safety for personnel and widen the range of tasks that can be managed through unmanned or remote technologies.

Tawazun Council role at UMEX & SimTEX 2026

The spokespersons noted that this series of contracts demonstrates the rising importance of UMEX & SimTEX as a global strategic meeting point where decision-makers, industry experts and specialised companies in unmanned systems, simulation, training and future-focused defence solutions come together, creating direct contributions to the UAE’s national defence and security objectives.

They also stated that the upcoming announcements planned during the three-day event will include further contracts designed to consolidate the UAE’s role as a regional and international hub for advanced defence industries, with Tawazun Council using its position to align defence procurement with national industrial policy, economic development goals and sustained capability growth for the armed forces.

With inputs from WAM