Paris, France/Abu Dhabi, UAE: Abu Dhabi-based advanced technology and defence group, EDGE, June 11 launched 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 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 is the first stage of a long-term commitment to Europe as a whole. The launch is anchored by 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, driving design, integration, and the rapid development of advanced systems. Bordeaux sits at the heart of France’s aerospace and defence-industrial base, with a deep supply chain spanning propulsion, composites, and avionics, and is home to several universities and leading research institutions that gives EDGE direct access to specialist 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 decade ahead will be built by those bold enough to do things differently, with the speed and ambition this era demands. EDGE Europe pairs the speed of a new generation of defence company with the depth of an established industrial group, and we build hand in hand with our partners. This is the model Europe’s defence needs next, and we intend to drive 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 brings a rare breadth of capability to Europe, spanning autonomous systems, air, naval, and ground platforms, propulsion, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, sensors, and communications, all integrated under a single strategic vision. This ability to combine domains that are typically siloed across separate companies positions EDGE Europe to deliver the connected, multi-domain capability modern defence increasingly demands. The new company will work with partners across Europe, from established primes to emerging defence technology firms, universities, and research centres, integrating capability and investing where it accelerates results, strengthening European industry rather than competing with it.
EDGE Europe plans to recruit and develop European talent, create high-skilled engineering and industrial roles, and build technology on European soil for customers in the region and beyond.
EDGE’s European ambitions are already underpinned 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. Spanning autonomous systems, propulsion, and air and naval domains, these give EDGE Europe the depth and reach to deliver from day one, strengthening European supply chains and securing sovereign access to critical capability.
