Leading UAE defence group EDGE has announced that it has joined forces with Italy's Leonardo to establish a new venture that will develop, manufacture and market advanced defence sensors and systems.

The new venture will focus on airborne radars for next-generation stealth aircraft, the Kronos Grand Mobile High-Power radar, combat management systems and multi-mission aircraft sensors, the companies said in a statement.

The joint venture will also serve as a platform to market and sell the M-346 fighter-trainer aircraft and other defence products in Europe and international markets, it stated.

By combining the technological expertise, industrial capabilities and international market access of both partners, the JV aims to strengthen its position as a leading player in the global defence sector, supporting customers in Europe and beyond with cutting-edge, integrated solutions.

On the strategic tie-up, Managing Director and CEO Hamad Al Marar, said: "Leonardo brings decades of engineering excellence in radar and combat management, while we bring the industrial scale, agility and market access to get that technology to customers faster."

"Together, this JV has the depth to build some of the most advanced sensor and systems technology in the world, he stated.

The new venture is expected to generate a pipeline of more than 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion) in orders over the next five years, he added.

Leonardo's CEO and General Manager Lorenzo Mariani said: "The project to establish a joint venture with EDGE reflects Leonardo’s belief in the ability of strategic industrial partnerships to provide a key contribution to shape the future of the global defence industry."

"Industrial collaboration and joint ventures are a model we are increasingly embracing, and we are confident that, together with EDGE, we will establish a winning benchmark, setting new standards through technological excellence, industrial strength and a shared long-term vision across the sectors we’ve identified for cooperation and across geographies," he added.-TradeArabia News Service