Hanwha heir expands defense ties in Middle East
Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan met with Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of Edge, a United Arab Emirates defense conglomerate, at the International Defense Exhibition & Conference 2025 in Abu Dhabi, to discuss strategic partnerships in the defense, space and shipbuilding sectors.
According to Hanwha on Tuesday, Kim, who leads the Korean conglomerate's defense, aerospace and energy businesses, discussed various defense export solutions such as local production of weapons systems and strengthening operation capabilities at IDEX on Monday.
Officials from Hanwha and Edge also talked about how they can work together to develop different autonomous systems based on Hanwha's expertise in aerospace, mechanical and electronic device engineering.
In particular, Hanwha said it proposed the establishment of uncrewed air defense systems in cooperation with Edge to bolster the protection level at nationally important facilities in the UAE. Through this, the Korean defense company will seek ways to expand business opportunities in the Middle Eastern and global markets.
Hanwha underlined that there is a good chance of cooperation between the shipyards of Hanwha Ocean and Edge in the shipbuilding and maritime engineering sectors.
'This meeting is an important opportunity for Edge and Hanwha to discuss their visions to strengthen the national defense capabilities,' an EDGE official said.
'Both companies have the same goal of strengthening their respective countries' defense power and will further cement ways to cooperate.'
On top of meeting with the Edge CEO, Kim plans to meet with officials from other global defense firms and the UAE government during this year's IDEX to seek better footing for Hanwha in the Middle East with its Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile as well as the K9 self-propelled howitzer.
'While solidifying the existing cooperation in the defense sector, we will expand ties in other areas such as shipbuilding, space and energy to contribute to not only both countries' security but also the development of the local economy,' said Kim.
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