Global

Dubai Airshow Day 3: UAE’s defense industry continues to grow

What you need to know from day 3 of the Dubai Airshow.

By Breaking Defense Video on November 19, 2025 5:11 pm

Ambitions of the United Arab Emirates’ defense industry dominated the third day of the 2025 Dubai Airshow. MBDA announced a new UAE-based subsidiary that will focus on missiles and loitering munitions, while an EDGE Group subsidiary announced plans to launch a satellite constellation. Plus, what happens when Ukrainians and Russians meet at an international airshow? Breaking Defense’s Michael Marrow and Agnes Helou explain.

Catch up on all of our Dubai Airshow news and multimedia coverage throughout the week.

PHOTOS: Dubai Airshow 2025

Gallery
Presented by

F-35-logo

PHOTOS: Dubai Airshow 2025

The Ilyushin Il-76 Russian transport aircraft looms large on the tarmac in Dubai. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
The air control tower at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Russian Pantsir-SMD-E missile system on display at this year's Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
A up-close look at Russia's Pantsir-SMD-E missile system. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
A crowd of people gather around EDGE Group's booth, where the company is showing off its Jernas-M compact medium-altitude long-endurance drone. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
A major general from Belarus enjoys the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
US troops check out the Su-57 stealth fighter in the Russian outdoor section of the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
General Atomics shows its full-scale YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft model at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
A KAI KF-21 model alongside drone wingmen. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
The ELT/568-POD escort jammer from ELT Group. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's CH-9 sits on display at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
What airshow wouldn't be complete without bagpiping police? (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Models of Russian air defense systems and launchers sit on display at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II generated plenty of buzz at the 2025 Dubai Airshow as the US hashed out a deal to sell the stealth fighter to Saudi Arabia. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Russia pitches its Su-57 stealth fighter as an alternative to the F-35. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
China's Wing Loong WL-X is the country's answer to American hunter-killer drones like the MQ-9 Reaper. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Russia's Zala Lancet drone
Russia's Zala Lancet drone acts as a loitering munition as well as a surveillance tool. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
Calidus' B250 trainer and light attack aircraft makes an appearance at the airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
Saab is pitching its GlobalEye jet for the airborne early warning and control mission as the US and NATO reconsider earlier contracts. (Daniel Woolfolk/Breaking Defense)
The UAE's air force flew the Dassault Mirage 2000-9 fighter during the airshow. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
1/20
Presented by

F-35-logo