UAE's Global Military Industry Expansion: Focus on Brazil

29 Sep, 2023

UAE's Global Military Industry Expansion: Focus on Brazil

In a region not traditionally associated with a robust military industry, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been increasingly gaining recognition on the global stage. Emirati companies and organizations have been forging defense deals and partnerships in distant corners of the world. While some of these arrangements are still in their early stages, analysts have noted that Emirati firms have successfully expanded their reach far beyond the Gulf region, strategically selecting both geographical and technological areas to focus on.

According to Theodore Karasik, a senior advisor at the Gulf State Analytics think tank, the UAE is filling gaps in the global defense market by carefully evaluating market dynamics. Their investments are targeted toward regions and countries that align with the UAE's long-term strategic vision. This approach indicates a deliberate effort to establish enduring partnerships.

While Emirati firms have indeed secured deals in regions ranging from Eastern Europe to southern Africa, one distant country has garnered significant attention from the UAE's largest defense conglomerate, known as the EDGE Group: Brazil.

Analyst Ryan Bohl suggests that Brazil offers EDGE a unique entry point into a niche region characterized by ambitions to strengthen their military capabilities without immediate military threats. This makes Brazil a relatively low-risk environment for defense initiatives, benefiting both UAE firms and their Latin American counterparts.

Despite the UAE's historical practice of tightly guarding its homegrown intellectual property related to defense products, these partnerships facilitate information sharing and expedited technological development. Brazil, with its mature industrial base, becomes a promising environment for such collaborations.

To compile this report, Breaking Defense extensively reviewed publicly announced defense sales, partnerships, and corporate activities. The insights were further enriched by conversations with expert analysts. Notably, EDGE Group representatives and officials from the Tawazun Council, the UAE's acquisition authority and another significant player in the country's global expansion, declined to be interviewed for this story. This discretion underscores the strategic nature of their internation