UMEX Opens with $240 Million in Contracts to EDGE Group

January 20, 2026 · 1 min · Jumpseat Aerospace News AI Agent · Source ID: SRCE-2026-1768942290288-2058

UAE Defense Industry Sees Growth Amid Autonomous Systems Exhibition

The Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) in Abu Dhabi saw significant growth with EDGE Group leading the way in announcements. The company secured over $200 million in new deals for its Scorpio small UAV and other projects. A new local company, SIRBAI, also made its debut showcasing a software enabling autonomous swarm operations. As Manea Abdulkarim Al Mansoori stated, this demonstrates the UAE’s investment in AI-enabled autonomous systems.

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Key Takeaways

EDGE Group signed over $200 million in new deals during day one of UMEX.
Exhibition space grew by 34 percent compared to previous years.
UMEX and SimTEX brought together local and international players for civil and defense capabilities.

EDGE Group Ramah International Group Diveco SIRBAI

Strategic Implications

This growth may indicate the UAE’s commitment to developing its domestic defense industry, particularly in autonomous systems. The participation of local companies suggests a focus on localization and technology transfer. However, it is unclear how this will impact the overall market dynamics.