The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel have embarked on a joint venture to develop unmanned vessels capable of both military and commercial operations. This strategic agreement was signed between EDGE, a UAE defence conglomerate, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at the Dubai Airshow.
The collaboration aims to create the “170 M” advanced modular unmanned service vessels. These vessels are designed to be versatile, catering to both military requirements, such as anti-submarine warfare, and commercial uses. Previously, in March, IAI and EDGE had announced a joint development of an advanced drone defense system.
This partnership follows the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UAE and Israel in 2020, facilitated by the administration of former US President Donald Trump. Subsequently, the US agreed to sell F-35 warplanes to Abu Dhabi, marking a significant development in the region’s military dynamics.
Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of EDGE, highlighted the collaboration as a milestone aligned with the Abraham Accords, emphasizing the UAE’s investment in autonomous capabilities. Boaz Levy, President of IAI, regarded the agreement as a foundation for future business and strategic alliances between the two countries.
The UAE and Israel’s normalization of ties was a pioneering move in the region, with Bahrain following suit around the same time. However, these agreements have been viewed by Palestinians as a deviation from the traditional pan-Arab stance, which links normal relations with Arab countries to Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and the acknowledgment of Palestinian statehood.
The unmanned vessels being developed will have the capability for semi and fully autonomous operations, with a range of functions including submarine detection, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance, mine detection and sweeping. They will also serve as platforms for deploying certain types of aircraft.
On the commercial front, the vessels can be customized for various applications, including oil and gas exploration. Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) is tasked with designing the vessel platform and integrating control systems and payload. IAI will develop the autonomous control system and integrate various payloads into it.
The joint statement did not disclose the financial commitment to the project or its production timeline.
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