- SIRBAI and MBDA will assess the feasibility of integrating AI capabilities into MBDA’s loitering munition platform.
- The proposed work will examine autonomous coordination, target detection and swarm intelligence.
- The agreement builds on efforts to bring UAE-developed AI technologies into international defence programmes.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU), announced at Euronaval 2026 in Paris on 3 November, establishes a framework for technical assessments and demonstrations to determine the feasibility of incorporating SIRBAI’s autonomy technologies into the system.
The initial phase is set to focus on feasibility assessments and defining the technical requirements for potential AI integration.
SIRBAI specialises in software designed to allow autonomous platforms to share information, coordinate activities and operate towards common objectives. Its technology combines distributed intelligence and swarm coordination with human-supervised autonomy, keeping operators involved in decision-making.
The agreement brings this expertise together with MBDA’s defence systems capabilities. MBDA said the proposed integration could provide additional operational capabilities for users of its loitering munition system, although the companies have not disclosed a development timetable or confirmed that the technology will be incorporated into an operational platform.
Dr Dario Albani, Chief Technology Officer at SIRBAI, said: “This collaboration represents an important step in bringing UAE-developed autonomy technologies into international defense programs. By combining our expertise in AI and coordinated autonomy with MBDA’s established capabilities, we aim to explore new opportunities for intelligent, adaptable systems.”
The MoU also provides a basis for the companies to define the project’s technical scope and consider further agreements, subject to the necessary approvals and contractual processes.
The announcement reflects growing cooperation between UAE technology developers and established international defence manufacturers, as AI and autonomous coordination become increasingly prominent areas of defence research and development.
