UAE defence spending accelerates with major deals at UMEX, SimTEX

ABU DHABI – The United Arab Emirates has announced the signing of eight military contracts worth a combined 2.359 billion dirhams ($642 million) during the first two days of the UMEX unmanned systems exhibition and the SimTEX simulation and training exhibition 2026, held in Abu Dhabi.

The deals underscore the Gulf state’s drive to modernise and strengthen its military capabilities as part of broader efforts to support regional and international stability.

In a statement carried by the state news agency WAM on Wednesday, the UAE’s Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement said that four contracts were signed on the second day alone, with a total value of 1.479 billion dirhams ($403 million).

This brought the total number of agreements concluded over the first two days of the exhibitions to eight contracts, worth 2.359 billion and 611 thousand dirhams ($642 million), according to the council.

Tawazun’s official spokespersons, Mohammed Saif Al Zaabi and Manea Abdulkareem Al Mansouri, said the steady stream of contract announcements during the exhibitions reflects the accelerating momentum of the UAE’s defence and security sector. They noted that the UAE has increasingly become a key global player in this sector, a status reinforced by numerous international reports.

Among the agreements were three contracts with EDGE Group, including a deal worth 10.556 million dirhams ($2.88 million) to develop the Nimr vehicle, and another contract valued at 45.14 million dirhams ($12.3 million) for the development of QX unmanned aerial systems. A third EDGE-related agreement covered the purchase of ANAVIA HT-750 aircraft, valued at 1.396 million dirhams ($380,000).

The deals also included a contract with Houbara Defence and Security for the acquisition of remotely operated vehicles designed for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and the handling of improvised explosive devices, valued at 28 million dirhams ($7.6 million).

The council’s spokespersons said further contract announcements are expected over the remaining days of the exhibitions, in line with national security and defence objectives and reinforcing the UAE’s position in the advanced defence industries sector.

UMEX and SimTEX 2026 opened on Monday in Abu Dhabi and run until Thursday. According to WAM, they are the only exhibitions of their kind in the Middle East dedicated to unmanned systems, robotics, and simulation and training technologies.

This year’s edition has recorded unprecedented growth across all performance indicators, making it the largest UMEX and SimTEX since their launch in 2015. Exhibition space expanded by 34 percent to reach 40,322 square metres, compared with the previous edition in 2024.

The number of participating companies and brands rose to 375, marking a 74 percent increase from the last edition, while the number of participating countries grew by 9 percent to 38, including ten nations taking part for the first time.

The UAE pavilion is the largest at the twin exhibitions, followed by those of China and the United States. National companies account for 45 percent of total participants, while international firms make up the remaining 55 percent, highlighting both the growing strength of the domestic defence sector and the exhibitions’ rising global profile.