Edge and CMN Naval signed the joint venture agreement on board the first-of-class BR71 Mk II corvette being built at CMN Naval's facilities in Cherbourg, France, under subcontract to Edge subsidiary ADSB for the Angolan Navy. (CMN Naval)
United Arab Emirates (UAE) defence conglomerate Edge Group and French shipbuilding specialist CMN Naval have agreed to form a new joint venture (JV) company focused on the production of naval ships.
The JV company, to be named AD Naval (ADN), will be based in Abu Dhabi and specialise in the manufacture of small to mid-size naval vessels, including corvettes, offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), and high-speed interceptors.
Announcing the partnership on 19 March, Edge said that an existing non-NATO commercial order pipeline valued at around EUR7 billion (USD7.6 billion) would be transferred to the new JV company.
Under the terms of the agreement, Edge will own 51% of ADN and will collaborate with CMN Naval on sales, commercial activities, and engineering. Edge will also establish a dedicated design bureau that will assume intellectual property rights for all future vessel designs and have access to CMN Naval's global supply chain and advanced logistics systems.
The JV will develop programmes to integrate Edge's advanced technologies β including artificial intelligence (AI)-driven autonomous air and sea systems, smart weapons, and cyber solutions β into vessels built by ADN to meet the specific operational needs of global clients.
Hamad Al Marar, Edge Group managing director and CEO, said the new JV reflected the company's strategy for measured growth through international partnerships with leading players in the air, land, and maritime domains.
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