Abu Dhabi, UAE.  EDGE Group entity, HALCON, a regional leader in the design and production of guided weapons systems and beyond, has signed a deal worth AED 1.1 billion to deliver HUNTER 2-S (swarming), HUNTER 5 and HUNTER 10 loitering munitions to the UAE Armed Forces.

HALCON’s HUNTER family of fixed-wing loitering munitions are designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and aerial strike missions. The HUNTER 2-S is an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that features advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to perform coordinated missions in a swarm. Furthermore, the HUNTER 2-S, 5 and 10 are transported in vehicle-mounted containers. The deal will mark a significant milestone for EDGE, as it includes the first UAE-made defence solution to integrate advanced AI.

Saeed Al Mansoori, Senior Vice President of ADVANCED CONCEPTS, said: “We are elated to be delivering platforms that harness the latest technology. The cutting-edge AI of the HUNTER 2-S and autonomous capabilities of the HUNTER 5 and 10 will be a powerful force multiplier for the UAE Armed Forces, providing close aerial support and aerial strike capabilities.”

He added: “The HUNTER series exemplifies our commitment to developing leading-edge solutions that align with the governments ‘Industry 4.0’ and ‘Make it in the Emirates’ initiatives. As we continue on our innovation journey, we look forward to producing advanced technology solutions that will shape the future.”

ADVANCED CONCEPTS is a new business unit within EDGE which is dedicated to the design and deployment of advanced, innovative technologies. Complementing existing EDGE capabilities in developing, producing, and commercialising new products, ADVANCED CONCEPTS focuses on accelerating the rapid development of critical innovation projects from concept definition and technical feasibility stage (TRL6+) to detailed engineering design, before handing these projects back to EDGE’s large portfolio of companies for industrialisation and commercialisation.