- TKMS and EDGE have signed an MoU to explore joint underwater surveillance and protection capabilities.
- The proposed approach would integrate multiple platforms and sensor systems to improve situational awareness beneath the surface.
- The initiative forms part of wider Germany-UAE defence cooperation amid growing demand for maritime security capabilities.
The companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Munich during the UAE’s state visit to Germany. The agreement forms part of a wider initiative agreed between the German government and UAE to deepen cooperation in defence and security.
The proposed collaboration centres on an integrated, multi-system approach to monitoring the underwater domain. TKMS and EDGE are considering exploring how platforms, sensors and other systems could be combined to provide a more comprehensive picture of activity below the surface.
The companies said the approach could help address the range and complexity of threats facing the maritime environment, although the MoU is exploratory and does not establish a specific operational system or procurement programme.
For the UAE, the initiative comes as maritime security remains closely linked to both national security and the protection of commercial shipping. The wider regional security environment has increased attention on naval and maritime surveillance capabilities, particularly those able to detect and respond to activity that may not be visible from the surface.
Under the proposed collaboration, TKMS would contribute its platform capabilities, while EDGE would bring expertise across its systems portfolio. The two companies will assess how these capabilities could be integrated into an effective underwater surveillance and protection architecture.
The agreement also reflects the UAE’s continuing drive to develop sovereign defence capabilities through partnerships with international technology and defence companies. Hamad Al Marar Managing Director and CEO, EDGE, commented: “The security of the maritime domain is fundamental to the UAE’s national and economic resilience, and the demands placed on it are growing. EDGE is working to build the sovereign capability to meet them, working with partners such as TKMS whose expertise strengthens what we deliver.”
The MoU was signed by Miguel Ángel López Borrego, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TKMS, and Omar Al Zaabi, President – Commercial at EDGE.
TKMS CEO Oliver Burkhard said: “We welcome the initiative of the German government and the UAE to strengthen cooperation in the defence and security areas. TKMS’s long-standing partnership with the UAE represents a solid foundation for our joint commitment. This cooperation will strengthen underwater surveillance and defence capabilities in the long term – an important contribution given the current security situation.”
The companies have not disclosed a timeline for development, details of the technologies under consideration or whether the initiative could ultimately lead to a specific system or procurement programme.
