MBDA at Dubai Air Show 2025

Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement and MBDA announced Strategic Projects to Support Localisation of Defence Technology

Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement (Tawazun) and MBDA announced the launch of a series of strategic initiatives aimed at supporting the localisation of defence industries and developing the national innovation ecosystem.

The announcement was made on the sidelines of Dubai Airshow 2025. The agreement was signed by Matar Ali Al Romaithi, Director General of the Industrial Development Directorate, and Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA.

These initiatives are part of MBDA's commitment to the Tawazun Economic Programme, overseen by the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement. The Programme works to strengthen strategic partnerships and facilitate the transfer of technology and know-how, contributing to the enhancement of national economic value, aligning with the UAE's vision for industrial and technological transformation, and supporting the country's competitiveness and leadership in advanced defence industries.

Within this framework, MBDA announced the future establishment of MBDA UAE, wholly owned by the company. This move marks a new phase in the long-standing collaboration between the two parties since 2000 and aims to strengthen the company's local presence while developing national capabilities in research and development, production, and technical support, thereby consolidating MBDA's position as a long-term industrial partner of the UAE.

MBDA also announced the project to develop loitering munitions integrated with artificial intelligence, in collaboration with the start-up Fly-R. The new system will feature an innovative design offering high speed and exceptional manoeuvrability, with AI integration providing enhanced operational superiority on modern battlefields.

Continuing the efforts of the Council to attract global companies and promote technology localisation through UAE Tawazun Economic Programme, MBDA unveiled the Emirati Thermal Batteries (ETB) manufacturing plant project at Tawazun Industrial Park (TIP), which will serve as a new industrial branch of the global ASB Group. The plant aims to develop the local defence manufacturing ecosystem, as thermal batteries are a key and strategic component in missile production. The future establishment of this facility will strengthen the UAE's defence manufacturing capabilities and its sovereignty in the missile sector. This project is part of the “Project Bank” portfolio launched by the Council as part of Tawazun Economic Programme, which seeks to support innovative projects and leverage advanced technology to enhance national capabilities.

MBDA signs first SKY WARDEN export contract

sky warden

MBDA has signed its first export contract with a Middle Eastern country to provide its SKY WARDEN counter-UAV solution.

SKY WARDEN - for which MBDA has been awarded, by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the Frontex C-UAS Prize 2025 and declared “best system to protect the EU's borders” - is a comprehensive multi-layer system that protects an area from micro to tactical drones, up to eight kilometers away. This solution is an evolution and enhancement of an MBDA developed multi-sensor and multi-effector command and control (C2) system, which enables the detection, identification and classification of threats with precision thanks to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

SKY WARDEN offers a wide range of complementary effectors designed to counter and destroy enemy drones, such as CILAS HELMA-P laser weapon, omni and directional jammers, MBDA HTK (Hit-to-Kill) drone interceptors and MISTRAL 3 missile, boasting a success rate of more than 96%. Sensors and effectors are chosen according to their intrinsic performance and mission requirements. SKY WARDEN is therefore a scalable system perfectly adapted to the asymmetric aerial threats of today and tomorrow.

SKY WARDEN can evolve over time according to the needs of users and to the evolution of threats thanks to a completely modular architecture and the easy integration of new effectors. The system is highly flexible, either dismounted to protect fixed sites, or vehicle-mounted for mobile protection. It may also be integrated with other medium-range air defense capabilities like the VL MICA or CAMM-ER or connected to higher level.

The development of SKYWARDEN is constantly evolving. This is evidenced by the recent acquisition by MBDA of the HELMA-P laser from CILAS to complete the range of effectors available within the solution.

About MBDA

MBDA is a unique multi-national European group, a world-leader in the field of complex weapon systems, playing a key role in keeping nations safe. Created in the spirit of international co-operation, MBDA and its 18,000+ employees work together to support the national sovereignty of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, and their allies worldwide. As an accelerator for innovation, MBDA is the only European group capable of designing and manufacturing complex weapons to meet the full range of current and future operational requirements of the three armed forces (land, sea and air). Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Leonardo (25%) jointly own MBDA.