Advanced technology and defense firm EDGE Group, based in the United Arab Emirates, and French shipbuilder CMN NAVAL are set to form a joint venture to produce high-value small to mid-size naval vessels, such as corvettes, offshore patrol vehicles, and high-speed interceptors.
The business arrangement, AD NAVAL, will be based in Abu Dhabi. According to EDGE, the JV will benefit from an existing order pipeline with an estimated value of $7.6 billion. To deliver capable vessels, EDGE is bringing its design expertise to the table and creating a bureau to manage intellectual property for future work. Meanwhile, CMN will lend its ship sales, commercial activities and engineering experience.
AD NAVAL’s initial efforts will include integrating EDGE’s advanced autonomous air and sea and smart weapons combat systems into the new vessels produced by the JV.
Hamad Al Marar, managing director and CEO at EDGE Group, said the collaboration with CMN NAVAL is “another example of our strategy of measured growth through international partnerships with the world’s leading players across the air, land and maritime domains.”
“The scope of our collaboration with CMN, which is particularly strong in EDGE’s key focus markets in Africa, for example, will enable us to combine our expertise and to share technology and know-how in the naval domain to build superior vessels in the UAE,” he added.
The EDGE Group also has a joint shipbuilding venture with Italy’s Fincantieri. In February, MAESTRAL secured a deal from the UAE Tawazun Council to lead efforts to equip the whole UAE Navy fleet with solutions that protect warships and the nation from adversarial threats.