(MENAFN- The Arabian Post) Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

The Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement recorded nine new contracts worth AED 1.012 billion on behalf of the Ministry of Defence on the fifth and final day of the Dubai Airshow 2025, elevating the event's five-day total to 36 agreements with a cumulative value of AED 25.455 billion.

At a press conference in Dubai attended by spokespersons Majed Ahmed Al Jaberi, Abdulla Ahmed Al Saeedi and Manea Abdulkarim Al Mansoori, the council detailed that six of the final-day contracts, sized at AED 544.675 million, were with local firms, while the balance, AED 467.913 million, involved international companies.

Among the domestic deals, two contracts with the Abu Dhabi-based M4 Trading comprised a AED 57.636 million order for a Grand Control Station and a AED 161.634 million deal for aircraft procurement. A AED 29 million contract went to Al Taif Technical Services Company for cooling-equipment and power-generator maintenance, while MP3 Company secured a AED 154.5 million agreement for aerial-rescue systems and spare parts. International Golden Group received AED 65.905 million for aerial drop systems and AED 76 million went to Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments for drone procurement.

On the global front, two agreements with Lockheed Martin amounted to AED 184 million and AED 63.551 million respectively for maintenance and spare-parts support. A third contract with Raytheon Technologies was valued at AED 220.362 million for friendly-force identification systems.

Across the event, earlier announcements show the council had already signed 20 contracts worth AED 18.01 billion during the first three days of the airshow. This underlines a consistent pace of deal-making spanning both national and international industrial partners.

See also Qatar Ruler's Ex-Executive Relocates as UK Taxes Rise

The contract portfolio highlights the UAE's emphasis on building a robust domestic defence-and-security-industrial ecosystem, spanning aircraft systems, drones, radars, simulation and service-support infrastructure. Analysts note this reflects a shift from traditional procurement towards localisation, technology transfer and national capability building.

Tawazun's officials emphasised that the partnerships frame more than incremental orders; they represent structural steps toward embedding industry in sovereign defence strategy. Ms Mansoori observed that the council“continues to foster a competitive and enabling environment for the private sector” and that the outcomes achieved through the airshow“reflect the UAE's vision of developing an integrated, innovative and strategically driven defence and security sector.”

While the headline figure of AED 25.455 billion positions Dubai Airshow 2025 among the region's most commercially active defence gatherings, some independent observers caution that the true measure of success will rest on execution, delivery timelines and domestic-industry uptake. Questions remain about how many contracts include meaningful offsets, R&D components and long-term local value-creation versus straightforward procurement.

Nevertheless, the event's records reinforce Dubai's growing role as a hub for aerospace-defence engagement, with deals touching both military and dual-use capabilities. Compared with earlier editions, this year's flow involves a higher proportion of contracts that combine hardware, maintenance-services and technology-transfer features - signalling deeper industrial ambition rather than purely kit acquisition.

The spread of contract-values - from tens of millions of dirhams for niche specialised systems to multi-hundred-million agreements with global primes - reveals a multipronged strategy. Domestic SMEs are being drawn into the supply chain alongside major established defence-sector players, thereby diversifying participation and reducing reliance on external supply.

See also Gulf Central Banks Echo U.S. Rate Cut Across Region

As the UAE moves ahead with its national defence-industrial roadmap, the final-day flurry of deals from Tawazun brings the focus firmly onto the implementation phase of those agreements and the strategic partnerships that will underpin them over the coming years.

Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.

MENAFN24112025000152002308ID1110387498