EDGE Group-DAPA Agreement Signing Ceremony.
UAEs’ EDGE Group-South Korea’s DAPA agree to deepen strategic partnership: Abu Dhabi / Seoul — March 2026 — The UAE’s EDGE Group and the Republic of Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) have formalised a sweeping new phase of defence collaboration, signing a Defence Industry Cooperation Framework agreement valued at approximately $35 billion.
The agreement was concluded during a high-level visit to Abu Dhabi by senior officials from the Republic of Korea, underscoring the growing momentum of the two nations’ “Special Strategic Partnership” and signalling a shift toward deeper industrial integration across key defence domains.
The framework was signed by H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs and Chairman of EDGE, and Mr. Lee Yong Cheol, Minister of DAPA, in the presence of senior representatives from both governments.
Moving Beyond Procurement
The memorandum of understanding establishes a comprehensive industrial partnership spanning the full defence capability lifecycle — from design and development to training and long-term maintenance. The agreement moves the bilateral relationship beyond a traditional buyer-supplier model, laying the foundation for joint capability development and sustained industrial collaboration.
Officials from both sides described the framework as a mechanism to align technological strengths, pool industrial resources, and accelerate the development of advanced military systems tailored to emerging operational requirements.
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The cooperation will focus on three primary capability pillars:
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Integrated air defence systems
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Advanced aircraft capabilities
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Maritime power and naval systems
Collectively, defence programmes under the framework are expected to amount to approximately $35 billion, positioning the agreement among the most substantial defence industry partnerships in the region.
Integrated Air and Maritime Focus
In the air defence domain, collaboration is expected to centre on next-generation integrated systems capable of addressing evolving aerial threats, including unmanned systems and advanced missile technologies. The aircraft component may encompass both fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms, alongside associated systems integration and sustainment capabilities.
Maritime cooperation will span naval platforms, mission systems, and sustainment solutions designed to enhance regional maritime security and power projection.
By incorporating design, development and maintenance into the framework, both sides aim to strengthen sovereign capabilities while leveraging complementary technological expertise.
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Reinforcing a Special Strategic Partnership
The high-level visit from the Republic of Korea highlighted the depth of diplomatic and economic ties between Abu Dhabi and Seoul, particularly in defence and advanced technology sectors. Over the past decade, the two countries have expanded cooperation across energy, infrastructure, and security domains.
The latest agreement reflects a shared strategic interest in building resilient supply chains, advancing indigenous manufacturing capacity, and ensuring long-term operational readiness through industrial collaboration.
For EDGE Group, the framework reinforces its ambition to position the UAE as a global hub for advanced defence manufacturing and innovation. For DAPA, the partnership expands South Korea’s international defence footprint and deepens industrial ties with a key Middle Eastern ally.
Long-Term Industrial Vision
Industry analysts note that modern defence partnerships increasingly emphasise co-development and lifecycle sustainment rather than one-off acquisitions. By embedding training, technology transfer, and maintenance into the agreement, both countries are signalling a commitment to durable, capability-driven collaboration.
As implementation details are refined, joint working groups are expected to define specific project pathways, timelines, and industrial participation models under the overarching framework.
The $35 billion cooperation framework not only strengthens defence ties between the UAE and the Republic of Korea but also reflects the broader trend of strategic industrial alliances reshaping the global defence landscape.
