Israel, UAE unveil jointly-created vessel at military exhibition in Abu Dhabi
Israel and the United Arab Emirates unveiled their first jointly created unmanned naval surface vessel on Monday at the IDEX 2023 International Defence Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi.
IDEX 2023, taking place from Feb. 20 to Feb. 24, is the largest military exhibition in the Middle East and one of the most globally anticipated, with some 60 countries participating and demonstrating their military capabilities.
Israel also its own pavilion at the conference, with more than 30 leading Israeli defense firms showcasing their technologies and areas of expertise, including air defense systems, rocket and missile systems, unmanned aerial systems, artificial intelligence, electro-optical systems and cyber solutions.
The unmanned surface vessel was created jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries and the Emirati defense consortium, EDGE. It uses advanced sensors and imaging systems and is useful for surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as for detecting mines.
The collaborative project between Israel and the UAE demonstrates how the two nations are committed to developing ties and working together as a result of the Abraham Accords peace agreements signed in 2020.
Ukraine was also present at IDEX 2023 for the first time.
“Just a few steps away, new participants are making their first appearance at this show, including Ukraine, despite the war raging on its territory,” Ahmed Ali Murad, vice provost for research at UAE University, told i24NEWS. “This equipment is produced in secret factories in Kyiv, and is sold to the Ukrainian army, on the front line.”
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
