Aerospace and Defence

With a long-term aim of building up its aerospace and defence industry, the government is focusing on establishing a local aviation centre to develop capacity and attract investment. An important element of this is international linkages, which will be essential to the success of both the aerospace and defence industries in the emirate. The UAE’s good relations with most of the world mean restrictions on export of technology to the country are unlikely to prove too onerous. More specifically, within the sector naval shipbuilding is seen to hold particular potential as a future growth area for the UAE – welcome news for the strategists of economic diversity. With military spending on the increase across the GCC, there could be plenty of work for the shipyards in the years ahead. This chapter includes an interview with Homaid Al Shemmari, Executive Director, Mubadala Aerospace.