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38 · MT 12/2018 IDEX/NAVDEX Preview

Innovation For and From the UAE

in 2015. The report also noted that, “patent families
went up from rank 93 to rank 68, gross expenditure
on R&D from rank 63 to rank 48 and knowledge
workers have increased from a rank of 57 to 25,
increasing the overall innovation input contribution
of the UAE.”
The index results attributed the outstanding pro-
gress made by the UAE last year to its sustainable
achievements in innovation inputs, especially the
strengthening of institutions and market sophisti-
cation. The nation has one of the best political and
legislative environments in the world, along with
outstanding development in information technolo-
gy, communications, infrastructure and innovation
linkages, the UAE Ministry of Economy said in a
statement.

Government Initiatives
The UAE government, and especially His
Highness Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed
Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and
The UAE’s unmanned aerospace and defence sector Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed
is booming, judging by the sheer number of projects Forces, have enthusiastically promoted innovation
in aviation and defence. A succession of ‘innova-
undertaken by various companies. (Photo: Mönch)
tion weeks,’ events, exhibitions, conferences and
summits have been held, and the government has
IDEX and NAVDEX are becoming increasingly significant as unique encouraged and sponsored the development of a national research and
platforms for the defence industry to gain valuable insight and under- development and high-tech manufactu ring infrastructure, all supporting
standing into the sector. Here’s a preview on what to expect. the “Made with pride in the UAE” brand.
Heavy emphasis has been placed on education and training, as there
is a real determination that the nation’s young people will be the principal
Preparations for the largest itineration of the International Defence beneficiaries of the new knowledge-based economy, and the high-value
Exhibition (IDEX) 2019, the Naval Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX) 2019 and jobs it is bringing.
the International Defence Conference are currently underway, in the run-up An Aerospace Research and Innovation Centre (ARIC) was established
to these much-awaited events in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Organised by at Khalifa University in 2012 as a joint effort between the university and
Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) in collaboration with Mubadala Aerospace. As well as undertaking cutting-edge research in aer-
the UAE Armed Forces, IDEX and NAVDEX will be held under the patron- ospace engineering, manufacturing, materials and technology, the centre
age of His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President has built long-term collaborations with manufacturers and research insti-
of the UAE and Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, 17-21 tutes. It has worked hand in glove with Strata, the Al Ain-based compos-
February 2019 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. ite aerostructures manufacturing company, which is a partner to Airbus,
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was early to recognise the need to Leonardo, and Boeing.
reduce its dependency on oil and to diversify its economy. The nation
has actively pursued a strategy of encouraging innovation as a means of Emirates Defence Industries Company
achieving economic growth, increasing competitiveness and providing
high-value employment opportunities for its people. In order to exploit greater efficiencies, a number of local defence and
Key areas for innovation identified by the UAE include the aerospace aerospace operations have progressively been brought together under the
and defence industries. Innovation in these areas has already had the ad- Emirates Defence Industries Company (EDIC) banner. EDIC was estab-
ditional benefits of freeing the UAE Armed Forces from some of their reli- lished in 2014, consolidating the combined capabilities and facilities of the
ance on imported equipment and technology, bypassing US ITAR restric- UAE’s defence industries into a single integrated national defence services
tions on some categories of armaments. It has also provided customised and manufacturing platform. There was a progressive transfer of formal
and dedicated solutions to a number of unique local requirements. ownership from January 2015. In effect, EDIC was a consolidation of 16
(initially 11) subsidiaries of the Mubadala Development Company, Tawazun
Recapturing Innovation as a Birthright Holdings and the Emirates Advanced Investment Group (EAIG).
The 16 companies involved were spread across the manufacturing,
The focus on innovation in the UAE is increasing rapidly. So much so, in autonomous systems, mapping, maintenance, repair and overhaul, com-
fact, that it is now a national strategy and vital component of the country’s munications, logistics and technology development sectors. They com-
economic environment. prised Mubbadala’s Al Taif Technical Services, Bayanat for Mapping and
In the so-called ‘Islamic Golden Age,’ a time when the Muslim world Surveying Services, Horizon International Flight Academy, and Advanced
was considered the bedrock of global innovation, its significant scientific Military Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Centre (AMMROC); Tawazun’s
achievements drew people from around the world to study physics, mathe- NIMR Automotive, Tawazun Dynamics, Tawazun Precision Industries,
matics, chemistry, biology and more under the guidance of well-renowned Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investment (ADASI), Burkan Munitions
scholars. Fast forward to the 21st century and the UAE is leading the Systems, Caracal International and Caracal Light Ammunition; and
charge to bring innovation back to the region. Since its birth in 1971, the C4 Advanced Solutions, Global Aerospace Logistics, Naval Advanced
UAE has enjoyed extraordinary growth and become one of the wealthiest Solutions, Secure Communications, and Thales Advanced Solutions from
and best educated countries in the world. It is the second largest economy EAIG.
in the Middle East and now plans to spearhead a revolution to recapture It was hoped that EDIC’s consolidated structure would provide en-
its “legacy of innovation.” hanced value for its stakeholders, shareholders, partners and clients, and
According to the UN’s 2016 Global Innovation Index, the UAE ranked would better position the company to serve and support the UAE Armed
first among Arab countries and 41st worldwide in terms of overall perfor- Forces and to win new business in the wider region. As an important mar-
mance on the index, up from second in the Arab World and 47th globally ket for the products of international defence and aerospace companies,