Emirati and Israeli companies pledge to work together on anti-drone technology

A United Arab Emirates state-owned arms maker announced an agreement to develop anti-drone technology with an Israeli state company on Thursday.

EDGE signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to develop a Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System for the Emirati market. Memorandums of understanding express will and precede a legal agreement.

The Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System is a defense system against unmanned aerial vehicles, popularly known as drones. It is fully autonomous and does not require humans to operate. It has capabilities ranging from radar jamming to gunfire that can stop drones.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates established formal relations in September as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords. Entities in the two countries then signed a flurry of agreements following the normalization. Israel and the UAE have a common strategic goal in countering Iran’s power in the Middle East, and the drone countering system will deepen their security cooperation. EDGE provides advanced weapons to the UAE’s military.

EDGE’s CEO said the agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries will help the former become a more capable military supplier.

“In line with the Abraham Accords and the UAE’s newly established cooperation with Israel, it is a defining moment for us to join forces with IAI,” said Faisal Al Bannai. “As EDGE invests extensively in autonomous capabilities, our co-development of a Counter-UAS will help strengthen our advanced technology portfolio.”