IDEX 2023: EDGE Group unveils first 'Made in the UAE' unmanned solutions for land, air and sea
These autonomy-focussed applications can be deployed even in combat operations
Dubai: The UAE defence technology company EDGE is putting on display new solutions for unmanned operations on land, sea and air at IDEX, the industry exhibition in Abu Dhabi. These can be deployed tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), logistics support, and even ‘sophisticated combat operations’.
EDGE, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, is just coming off from buying a majority stake in an Estonian firm, which too specializes in unmanned military/non-military vehicles and robotics.
“We are proud to debut a portfolio of ‘Made in the UAE’ autonomy-enabled solutions that will enable our customers to expand their reach to new heights and depths across multiple combat environments,” said Mansour Almulla, CEO and Managing Director of EDGE Group.
“Today marks the culmination of extensive investment in industry-leading companies, innovation, and rapid product development to significantly expand our offerings and ensure our local and global customers can access the most cutting-edge solutions in the market.
“Strengthening sovereign capabilities and bringing globally competitive products to market are strategic priorities for EDGE, and launching 11 new solutions in this critical domain reflects our steadfast commitment to international security and prosperity.”
Air mobilty of the unmanned kind
Meant for military operations, the ‘Jeniah’ is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) with a ‘substantial’ payload, extended range, and can operating at high speed. Alongside the UCAV is a ‘Ground Control Station’ designed to monitor and command the system.
With a payload of 500kg and a range of up to 360 kilometres at cruising speeds of 120 km/h, the ‘Airtruck’ is designed for logistics support such as supplying troops in remote locations, medical evacuation, and reconnaissance.
Another addition is the QX6-50 for logistics purposes. Capable of carrying a 50kg payload for up to 200 kilometres, the rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can operate autonomously.
Done with a purpose to ‘accelerate product development and reduce time to market’, the Instrumented Testing Platform is a fixed-wing UAV that provides for in-house flight testing of air-to-surface munitions.
Land reach
Following the recent acquisition of a majority stake in Estonia-based Milrem Robotics, EDGE brought on show unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) such as ‘THeMIS Combat’, which provides precision fire support for manoeuvre units. It can act as a ‘force multiplier’, while the ‘THeMIS Observe’ is for tactical reconnaissance missions with a variety of sensors for day and night operations.
Then there is the ‘Type X’ Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV), deployable alongside traditional infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to provide ‘overmatching firepower and tactical usage on the battlefield’.
EDGE also presented an 8x8 Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) concept, NIMR RCV, built for tactical mobility and speed. “The multi-role platform can lower lethality risks by increasing standoff distance from enemy units,” the company said in a statement.
More to follow...