UAE’s defense conglomeration EDGE looks to space with new FADA entity

BEIRUT — In its first large stride in the space domain, the United Arab Emirate’s defense giant EDGE Group launched today a new company dubbed FADA to spur the country’s defense-related space sector, the company announced today in a statement.

“EDGE is fully committed to advancing the UAE’s strategic interests in defence and advanced technology, and FADA’s mission is to develop sovereign space capabilities and homegrown technologies in the UAE,” according to the statement.

Named FADA, the Arabic word for space, the new entity is expected to help build a national space sector to support the country’s requirements and will expand international partnerships to benefit from Transfer of Technology (ToT) and transfer of Knowledge (ToK).

“FADA will establish state-of-the-art facilities for the development, manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing of various satellite systems and subsystems, serving as a one-stop shop for all space-related activities and providing end-to-end solutions and services to local and international customers, including: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Optical (EO) and Infrared (IR) payloads, as well as satellite platforms, and satellite cybersecurity and protection services in addition to other space activities,” according to the statement.

EDGE Group CEO Hamad Al Marar said the new company “will enable EDGE to grow and fortify its position in the global space industry in line with the UAE’s vision of becoming a leader in space technologies, creating the blueprint for a self-sufficient and innovative ecosystem.”

EDGE Group’s head of space and cyber technologies, Waleid Al Mesmari, said among FADA’s goals will be to facilitate the development of satellite systems “while building a sustainable and skilled space-focused workforce.”

In 2019, the UAE released its National Space Strategy 2030 and in 2021 it allocated more than $800 million in national space fund to build “national capabilities and competencies, raise the economic contribution to diversifying the national economy, and consolidate the UAE’s position in the space sector.”

While EDGE’s new entity aligns with this vision, it is the closest the Gulf country has reached in the defense-related space sector, as EDGE has a large number of cooperation with Western defense firms to build local platforms in the UAE.

UAE is also not the only Gulf country exploring space. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is eyeing to boost its space sector and is expected to merge its air force and space force as part of this endeavor.