Abu Dhabi-based advanced technology and defence group EDGE launched on June 11, EDGE Europe, a fully European commercial enterprise headquartered in Paris.
The new French-registered company introduces a fundamentally different way of building defence capability, one founded on a technology-first industrialisation, rapid development, and an open, partner-driven ecosystem, designed to deliver sovereign capability faster than the traditional industry allows.
EDGE Europe’s operational base in France marks the first stage of a long-term commitment to the whole of Europe. The launch is centred around two sites: a strategic head office in the prestigious Chaillot neighbourhood of central Paris, which will focus on leading government engagement, partnerships, and investment across the region, and an engineering and manufacturing hub in Bordeaux, supporting design, integration, and the rapid development of advanced systems. Bordeaux, located at the heart of France’s aerospace and defence-industrial sector, boasts a comprehensive supply chain covering propulsion, composites, and avionics. It is also home to several universities and leading research institutions, providing EDGE with direct access to specialised engineering talent.
H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Chairman of EDGE Group, said: “Europe stands at a defining moment for its defence, and EDGE has come to be part of its future. We are here to invest in its talent, build alongside its industry, and create lasting capability on European soil. The defence capabilities that matter most in the coming decade will be built by those brave enough to do things differently, with the speed and ambition this era demands. EDGE Europe pairs the speed of a new-generation defence company with the depth of an established industrial group, and we work hand in hand with our partners. This is the model Europe’s defence needs next, and we aim to lead it here.”
He added: “Over decades, the UAE and France have built a partnership of enduring strength. Choosing Paris for the headquarters of EDGE Europe is a deliberate mark of that bond, and we are determined to forge partnerships of the same strength right across the continent.”
EDGE offers a rare breadth of capability across Europe, including autonomous systems, air, naval, and ground platforms, propulsion, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, sensors, and communications, all unified under a single strategic vision. Its ability to integrate domains that are usually separated across different companies positions EDGE Europe to provide the connected, multi-domain capability that modern defence increasingly requires. The new company will collaborate with partners throughout Europe, from established primes to emerging defence technology firms, universities, and research centres, combining capabilities and investing where it speeds up results, thereby strengthening European industry rather than competing with it.
EDGE Europe intends to recruit and develop European talent, create highly skilled engineering and industrial roles, and build technology on European soil for customers in the region and beyond.
EDGE’s European ambitions are already supported by a growing industrial base, including acquisitions of major stakes in key companies across the region such as Milrem Robotics in Estonia, Anavia in Switzerland, and Flaris in Poland, the planned acquisition of CMD in Italy, joint ventures with Fincantieri and Indra Sistemas, and strategic partnerships with Leonardo and Safran. Covering autonomous systems, propulsion, and air and naval domains, these provide EDGE Europe with the depth and reach to deliver from day one, strengthening European supply chains and securing sovereign access to critical capabilities.
