Jerusalem: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said on Thursday it would jointly develop an advanced drone defence system with the United Arab Emirates’ state-owned weapons maker EDGE.
Israel and the UAE formalised relations last year, brought closer by commercial interests and concern over Iran.
State-owned IAI, a major Israeli defence firm, said in a statement that the companies will develop a Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System “tailored to the UAE market, with wider-ranging benefits for the Mena region and beyond”.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which recently stepped up cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, has in the past threatened to launch strikes on the UAE.
The UAE already has an advanced anti-missile interception system, the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defences (THAAD).
EDGE, tasked with supplying advanced weapons to the UAE armed forces, is focused on developing drones, unmanned vehicles, smart weapons and electronic warfare equipment rather than conventional weaponry.