MBDA, Tawazun and FLY-R launch defense localization projects in UAE

European missile manufacturer MBDA and the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement have launched a set of industrial projects to localize defense technologies and expand the United Arab Emirates’ domestic missile ecosystem. The announcement was made during the Dubai Airshow 2025. 

MBDA to establish fully owned UAE subsidiary 

Signed by Matar Ali Al Romaithi, Director General of Tawazun’s Industrial Development Directorate, and MBDA CEO Eric Béranger, the initiatives form part of MBDA’s commitments under the Tawazun Economic Programme, which supports technology transfer and national industrial capability-building. 

A key element of the package is the creation of MBDA UAE, a wholly owned subsidiary that will expand the company’s industrial footprint in the country. The new entity is intended to shift the long-standing Tawazun–MBDA relationship toward deeper cooperation in research and development, production and in-country support for missile and air defense systems. 

UAE to co-develop AI-enabled loitering munition with FLY-R 

(Credit:MBDA)Tawazun, MBDA, and French company FLY-R also announced an ambitious co-development program to design and industrialize a new rhomboidal-wing loitering munition in the UAE. FLY-R, known for its diamond-shaped aerodynamic architectures, will partner with MBDA to deliver a high-performance system featuring embedded artificial intelligence, modular payload options, and enhanced strike precision. 

Based on FLY-R’s rhomboidal-wing concept, the munition is designed for high speed, exceptional maneuverability, and improved in-flight stability, with potential benefits for reduced detectability depending on flight profile. The system will be compact, lightweight, and tube-launchable, allowing carriage by a single operator or integration on land, naval, or airborne platforms. The program aims to move rapidly through design, qualification, and preparation for industrialization in the UAE. 

“By joining forces with MBDA and the Tawazun Council, we are helping to bring forth a new generation of high-value aeronautical solutions, designed and produced in partnership with the United Arab Emirates,” said FLY-R CEO and co-founder, Rémi Albert. 

Thermal battery plant to support guided-weapon supply chain 

A new thermal battery manufacturing facility will also be established at Tawazun Industrial Park as a local branch of ASB Group. Thermal batteries are essential components for many missile and guided-weapon systems, and local production is expected to reduce supply-chain risk and underpin future UAE missile programs. 

Tawazun said the projects reflect the depth of its strategic partnership with MBDA and will help advance Emirati capabilities in sensitive defense technologies. MBDA highlighted that creating a landed company in the UAE marks a major milestone in its regional presence. 

Together, the initiatives support the UAE’s broader push to move from importing complete weapon systems to developing sovereign design, integration, and manufacturing capacity across the missile value chain. The post MBDA, Tawazun and FLY-R launch defense localization projects in UAE appeared first on AeroTime.

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