Edge, a leading advanced technology and defence group, has launched the ‘X RANGE’, the first international defence, aerospace and commercial products testing, evaluation and training ground facility in the GCC region. 

 

The range will provide exclusive, end-to-end, and state-of-the-art testing services and facilities for platforms, systems and subsystems across the air, land, sea, and electronic warfare (EW) domains.

 

Announced on the first day of Dubai Airshow 2023, the X RANGE will offer modular advanced testing capabilities with industry-leading mobile equipment and instrumentation, providing detailed data and analysis to accelerate the development of infantry weapons, smart weapons, autonomous systems, naval vessels, C4I systems, ISTAR systems and EW solutions. It will be made available for commercial use by third party clients in the near future.

 

Strategic asset

Mansour Al Mulla, Managing Director and CEO, Edge Group, said: “The X RANGE testing range will bring sophisticated, flexible and comprehensive testing capabilities to the heart of the Middle East, Africa, and Central and South Asia region. This ground-breaking launch comes after relentless preparation and pursuit of the latest defence and range technologies. In line with the Edge growth strategy, X RANGE is a testament to our commitment toward the advancement of defence and security capabilities, both globally and locally, acting as a strategic asset for the future of security in the region.”

 

Located on a highly secure 350 sq km island, the range will include a 3,800 m runway for large aircraft, as well as a 1,200 m runway for unmanned aircraft with an air danger area permanently closed to 10,000 ft with availability to extend significantly higher. The island will additionally be equipped with an urban training village for special operations rehearsals, an island-wide digital communications network, a dedicated shoreline for marine and landing exercises.

 

Conventional land and air munitions, as well as EW energy weapons and signal jammers, can be tested with high-precision video, high-level telemetry and data acquisition systems. These will be aided by multiple asset surveillance and tracking instruments and advanced hemispheric tracking radars. Passive radio frequency monitoring creates a known RF environment that will facilitate scientific testing of EW products.

 

Unmanned aircraft performance 

X RANGE will soon be equipped to handle unmanned aircraft performance and missile flight guidance tests. The range will offer helicopter fire testing, environmental stress tests for land vehicles, environmental testing facilities, complex situation testing for maritime platforms, and surface platform performance analysis including ranging and magnetic signatures. Navigation, targeting and communicating evaluation, and functionality tests under diverse conditions and situations will also soon be available.

 

Omar Al Zaabi, President of Trading & Mission Support, Edge Group, said: “As we realise our goal of becoming the first defence testing range in the Mena region, we are ensuring that our local and global customers can access the most cutting-edge testing solutions in the market, accessible right here in the UAE. We are immensely proud to debut the X RANGE, which will enable our customers and partners to expand their reach to new heights and depths across multiple combat environments.”

 

X RANGE North

*Dedicated shoreline for amphibious landing training and exercises

*Modern shooting ranges and training facilities

*Urban Training Village for CQB, physical combat and fast-roping training

 

X RANGE East

*Fully operational 3,800x60m illuminated concrete runway

*UAV testing zones

*Test Planning Centre and Range Control Centre

*Surveillance radar

*State-of-the-art digital telemetry system

*Vehicle test facility

*Large drone hangar

*Client accommodation, office, storage and workshop facilities

 

X RANGE South

*Aerial propulsion testing

*Environmental stress testing

*Arena testing facility & instrumentation with crew cabin and control cabin

*Directed-energy weapons testing

*GPS spoofing and signal jamming testing

*Floating dock with crew cabin and control cabin

 

X RANGE West

*1,200 m concrete runway for unmanned aircraft

*Robotic moving targets for direct fire support weapons testing

*Dedicated missile target area

*Mobile demonstration platforms. -- TradeArabia News Service