EDGE Enhances Naval Capabilities Through Joint Venture With CMN NAVAL In Abu Dhabi

EDGE, a prominent advanced technology and defence group, has partnered with CMN NAVAL, a renowned naval shipbuilding company. They have agreed to establish a joint venture in Abu Dhabi named AD NAVAL (ADN). This collaboration aims to enhance their capabilities in building high-value small to mid-size naval vessels, including Corvettes and Offshore Patrol Vehicles.

The joint venture will leverage an existing order pipeline valued at around EUR 7 billion. EDGE will hold a 51 percent stake in the new company. The partnership will focus on sales, commercial activities, and engineering. A design bureau will be established to manage intellectual property rights for future designs. This move significantly expands EDGE's naval domain capabilities.

EDGE will benefit from CMN NAVAL’s global supply chain and advanced Integrated Logistics Support system. This system enhances cost efficiency through predictive maintenance and spare parts management. The collaboration also explores integrating EDGE’s autonomous air and sea systems onto vessels built by the new company.

The joint venture is expected to create direct employment opportunities in the UAE. It will also generate related third-party opportunities across its global supply chain. Hamad Al Marar, EDGE Group Managing Director & CEO, highlighted the strategic growth through international partnerships with leading players across air, land, and maritime domains.

Al Marar stated that the collaboration with CMN NAVAL would enable expertise sharing and technology transfer in the naval domain. He emphasised developing integration programmes for autonomous systems and smart weapons on vessels manufactured for non-NATO navies globally. This initiative aims to contribute to economic growth by creating valuable employment opportunities.

Commitment to Innovation and Excellence

Pierre Balmer, Chairman of CMN NAVAL, expressed pride in joining forces with EDGE Group. He noted that this strategic collaboration reflects their shared commitment to innovation and excellence in advancing naval capabilities. By combining shipbuilding expertise with EDGE’s defence technologies, they aim to deliver next-generation naval solutions tailored to global maritime forces' evolving needs.

Balmer added that this partnership strengthens their presence in key international markets while enhancing technology transfer and industrial cooperation. It sets new benchmarks in the industry and drives sustainable growth in defence and maritime sectors.

The announcement follows an initial partnership agreement signed at IDEX 2025 in Abu Dhabi last month. Both parties laid foundations for collaboration across multiple domains, including developing advanced naval platforms and system integration initiatives aimed at setting new benchmarks using next-generation technologies such as AI-driven autonomous systems.

This joint venture represents a significant step towards innovation within the naval sector by combining expertise from both companies under an exclusivity agreement focused on high-value small-to-mid-size vessels like Corvettes or Offshore Patrol Vehicles (OPVs).

With inputs from WAM