Swarming drones at EDGE Group’s stand at Dubai Air Show 2023 (Agnes Helou / Breaking Defense)
BEIRUT — Just days before the largest defense show in the Middle East, UAE defense giant EDGE Group announced its new aero engine and propulsions systems manufacturer POWERTECH.
POWERTECH is EDGE’s first company dedicated to developing and producing “high-performance aero engines and complete propulsion systems. With a clear ambition to compete in the global propulsion market, POWERTECH will deliver reliable, purpose-built engines for civil aerospace and defence applications,” the firm said in a statement Wednesday.
The company noted that POWERTECH will address “international market needs” and will support the firm’s unmanned and autonomous systems for national and international markets.
“The launch of POWERTECH represents a strategic move to enter the global propulsion market while enhancing EDGE’s capabilities across aerospace and autonomous systems,” Khaled Al Zaabi, president of EDGE’s platforms and systems, said in the statement. “By developing tailored, application-specific solutions, we are strengthening our market position and creating new opportunities for innovation and collaboration.”
In a statement Thursday, EDGE also announced the expansion of XRANGE, its unmanned aerial vehicles testing facility launched by the firm’s subsidiary REMAYA in November 2023.
The expansion will include “a secondary runway, two emergency runways, an environmental test centre, an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) Drone Training Village, and expansion of airspace for customer operations.”
EDGE has also introduced a “data acquisition systems facility” and will further add “vehicle blast and ballistics test service” to the center, according to the statement.
“XRANGE was designed to push the boundaries of what is possible in terms of conducting critical TT&E activities in the UAE,” CEO of REMAYA Haitham Awinat said in the statement. “While significantly boosting our operational flexibility, these enhancements allow our clients to expedite their product development processes and accelerate the delivery of their solutions to market.”
The secondary runway is 1.2 km long, increasing UAS operations on the test island.
“The new runway doubles the test island’s capacity to hold simultaneous flight operations for the conventional take-off and landing of UAVs while enhancing overall operational flexibility,” the firm said in a statement.
EDGE Group is expected to display 200 defense platforms and services at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference, and the accompanying Naval Defense Exhibition taking place next week in Abu Dhabi.
