• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky emphasises localised Black Hawk conversion for uncrewed U-Hawk

  25th November 2025

  The platform was first unveiled in September 2025, with efforts now focusing on flight tests in the next year.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed assesses possible engine options for Vectis CCA development

  24th November 2025

  The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) was unveiled in September, with Lockheed pursing an accelerated roadmap to first flight in 2027.

• Air Warfare

  European firms express interest in filling NATO airborne early warning replacement needs

  19th November 2025

  The comments from both Saab and Airbus on their potential to fulfil the airborne early warning and control requirement come after NATO countries shelved plans to procure six E-7 Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Russian fighter jet exportability threatened by sanctions, says think tank

  13th November 2025

  The think tank realised its report just days before the Dubai Airshow, where the Su-57E Russian fighter jet and Yak-130M trainer and light attack aircraft will make their Middle Eastern debuts.

• Air Warfare

  UAE air report: Domestic industries set to dominate the $5.24 billion UAV market

  12th November 2025

  Foreign suppliers may be seeking ways to break into the guarded UAE drone market, where domestic firms dominate much of the US$5.24 billion value and a large share of spending is already tied to a single major deal.

• Air Warfare

  Can emergent suppliers of fighter aircraft crack Middle East markets?

  9th January 2026

  The 2025 Dubai Airshow saw several aspiring suppliers of combat aircraft to the region’s air forces parade their wares in the sky and on the ground. Shephard’s Edward Hunt explores their chance of success in the Middle East.

• Air Warfare

  Saudi Arabia air report: The world’s fourth-largest UAV market seeks to strengthen domestic industry

  17th February 2026

  With $9.18 billion in uncontracted programmes — including a potential multi-billion-dollar MQ-9B deal — Saudi Arabia’s UAV sector is poised for significant further growth and industrial expansion.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2025: Middle Eastern nations chart a broader course for defence procurement

  10th November 2025

  Several key defence contracts are still waiting to be confirmed in the air domain as global players including the US, some European countries and Turkey look to seize market opportunities.

• Air Warfare

  UAE receives first additional A330 MRTT

  14th November 2024

  The arrival of this aircraft boosts the UAE’s fleet of tankers up to four, following its order for an additional two aircraft in 2021.

• Air Warfare

  Another Saab GlobalEye lands in the UAE

  25th April 2024

  The arrival of the latest GlobalEye marked the fourth AEW&C aircraft delivery to the UAE in just four years.

• Defence Notes

  How UAE defence giant EDGE Group plans to double its exports

  24th April 2024

  The UAE defence conglomerate has put an aggressive strategy in place to increase its share of exports while navigating the growing gap between East and West.

• Air Warfare

  Saab begins modification of first Swedish GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft

  30th January 2024

  Saab has begun the modification of the first Bombardier 6000 aircraft for the Swedish Air Force's GlobalEye programme.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2024: Boeing remains confident in Indonesian F-15EX programme

  20th February 2024

  Despite uncertainty over a clear timeline for final approval of the Indonesian F-15EX fighter programme, discussions have been ongoing between the US and Indonesian governments, as they work to address various aspects of the FMS deal.

• Training

  Saab awarded contract for T-7A aft section, while US Air Force tests ejection seat

  29th January 2024

  Saab has secured a contract from Boeing to manufacture vital components for the T-7A Red Hawk trainer jet amid ongoing ejection seat tests and undisclosed delivery timelines.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: UAE firm and ELT Group outline plans on Emirati EW logistic support

  17th November 2023

  Etimad Holding and ELT Group have inked a deal to establish an integrated logistics support (ILS) hub for Electronic Warfare (EW) systems in the UAE.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  HT-100 (November 2023) [Undisclosed]

  Background Dubai Airshow 2023 At the Dubai Airshow 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had accepted an order for six HT-100 drones. The drones will ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Garmoosha [UAE]

  Programme Background First Contract In an interview with Shephard at the Dubai Airshow 2021, Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of EDGE, stated the development of the ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  HT-100 (January 2026) [Undisclosed]

  Background UMEX At UMEX 2026 in January, the company told reports, namely Breaking Defense, that it was set to deliver the UAV under a 661.19 ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  QX-2 [Brazil]

  Background Four-Day Tour On 3 August 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had hosted a four-day delegation from the Brazilian Marine Corps (CFN), showing it ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  JERNAS-S [UAE]

  Background 2023 At the Dubai Airshow 2023, held in November, EDGE Group announced that the UAE Armed Forces had acquired 100 units of the Reach-S, ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background United Arab Emirates Air Force had a requirement for three tanker aircraft. Boeing confirmed that the UAE sent an official request for three ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 650 ISR - UAE

  Programme Background In February 2019 at IDEX, the UAE announced that it will procure a new special mission aircraft with an option for the second ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Gambit [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Adding to the MQ-9B Deal Speaking to Breaking Defense at the Dubai Airshow 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that the MQ-9B procurement programme was still in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Qatar]

  Background Saudi Arabia Speaking to Breaking Defense at the Dubai Airshow 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that Saudi Arabia was working to sign a procurement ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB3 [UAE]

  Programme Background UAE and Türkiye Cooperation Speaking to Defence News at the Dubai Air Show 2023, held in November, Faisal Al Bannai, chairman of the board ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Biggest International Deal Speaking to defence media outlets at IDEX 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that the company was in the early stages of working on ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Garmoosha [Brazil]

  Background Four-Day Tour On 3 August 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had hosted a four-day delegation from the Brazilian Marine Corps, showing it its ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Gambit [UAE]

  Background Saudi Arabia Speaking to Breaking Defense at the Dubai Airshow 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that Saudi Arabia was working to sign a procurement ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Tejas LCA (India)

  Programme Background The Indian Navy was supposed to procure 50 Tejas LCAs, also known as the LCA-N. However, in 2017 the navy decided to abandon ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Reach-S

  The Reach-S is a MALE UAS manufactured by HALCON, a subsidiary of EDGE Group.  Debuted at the Dubai Airshow 2021, the UAV is powered by an Austrian Rotax 912 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  SINYAR

  The SINYAR is a developmental jet-powered UCAV which EDGE Groip unveiled at Dubai Airshow 2023. Aimed at defence and special forces, the drone is based on ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Reach-M

  Unveiled at Dubai Airshow 2023, the Reach-M is described as a MALE UCAV designed for ISR and light ground attack operations. A larger version of the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR-2000

  Unveiled by the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) at the Dubai Air Show 2023, the AR-2000 is a large rotary-wing drone designed for ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  A-Hawk I (Cloud-1)

  Part of a strike-capable ISTAR series of A-Hawk platforms is the A-Hawk I (Cloud-1) VTOL developed by AVIC. Reports indicate that the A-Hawk I enables ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Hunter 2

  The Hunter 2 is a mini-UAV and loitering munition unveiled by EDGE subsidiary HALCON at the Dubai Airshow 2021. The platform is tube-launched and is ...

• Loitering munitions

  ANSHAR

  Unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2023, the ANSHAR is a Brazilian loitering munition manufactured by Mac Jee.  According to Mac Jee, the drone can host ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  United 40 Block-5

  The United 40 was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2011 and is a MALE UAV with a twin-wing configuration and a hybrid turbine-electric engine. The ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  JERNAS-M

  Unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2025, the JERNAS-M is a fixed-wing aircraft from ADASI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group. According to EDGE Group, the UAV ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Hunter 5

  The Hunter 5 is a mini-UAV and loitering munition unveiled by EDGE subsidiary HALCON at the Dubai Airshow 2021. The platform is tube-launched from a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Uncrewed Checkmate

  At the Dubai Airshow 2021, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the parent company of Checkmate manufacturer Sukhoi Design Bureau, announced its intention to manufacture an uncrewed version of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Vectis

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Vectis is an MALE fixed-wing UAV from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. The UAV is designed to operate alongside 5th and next-generation ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  A-Hawk II (Cloud-2)

  The A-Hawk II (Cloud-2) is an armed quadrotor UAV that is part of the strike-capable ISTAR series of A-Hawk platforms developed by Aviation Industry Corporation ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  JERNAS-S

  The JERNAS-S, formerly known as the Jeer, is a fixed-wing UAV developed by ADASI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group. The UAV is designed to conduct ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Yabhon United 40

  Unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2013, Yabhon United 40 is a high-altitude, long-endurance UAV with a twin-wing configuration, allowing the centre of gravity to remain in the ...