Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has established a strategic partnership with Platforms and Systems, a division under the UAE’s defense conglomerate EDGE Group, which was formed by integrating 25 state-owned and private defense companies.
The signing ceremony took place on November 18 at the Dubai Airshow, with KAI CEO Cha Jaebyung, Middle East and Africa Division Head Kim Jae-hong, and EDGE Group President Hamad Al Marar, along with Platforms and Systems President Khaled Al Zaabi, attending to affirm the collaboration.
The comprehensive partnership aims to explore wide-ranging opportunities for cooperation in future strategic defense programs, leveraging the technological expertise and specialized capabilities of both companies. It will also promote joint marketing and product collaboration to strengthen their presence in the global defense market.
Following the agreement, KAI plans to work closely with EDGE’s Platforms & Systems cluster, which oversees development and production of core systems for air, land, and sea platforms. The company intends to translate this collaboration into concrete technology initiatives to enhance its competitiveness in the Middle Eastern defense market.
EDGE Group, founded by the UAE government, is a leading advanced defense and technology enterprise offering solutions across unmanned systems, precision weapons, electronic warfare, cybersecurity, and naval and ground systems. With over 35 subsidiaries, annual revenue of USD 5 billion, and roughly 17,000 employees, EDGE is considered one of the fastest-growing defense technology groups in the Middle East and is highly proactive in forming global partnerships.
KAI is reviewing potential cooperation with Platforms & Systems in multiple domains, including armed drones, unmanned helicopters, aerospace components, armored vehicles, as well as its own fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, UAVs, MUM-T systems, and MRO services. Both sides plan to identify and develop specific collaboration models.
KAI CEO Cha Jaebyung stated, “This agreement marks an important starting point for creating new growth opportunities by combining the technological strengths of both nations’ aerospace industries. We will continue expanding the scope of cooperation to generate tangible results in future aerospace and defense domains.”
