Security, Aerospace & Defence

Driven in large part by targeted government investment and an offset programme aimed at bolstering domestic capacity, Abu Dhabi has witnessed tremendous growth in its aerospace and defence industry in recent times. National Service was introduced in the UAE in 2014 and is mandatory for Emiratis aged 18 to 30. The government has also launched a range of training programmes aimed at bolstering its national security initiatives and applying international best practices to the domestic security sector. Moving forward the UAE is expected to double homeland security spending over the next 10 years, from $5.5bn to more than $10bn, while the emirate’s growing aerospace sector is having positive knock-on effects for domestic industry, with additional training set to boost employees’ qualifications in other key areas, such as foundries and shipbuilding.

This chapter contains a viewpoint from Homaid Al Shemmari, CEO of Aerospace and Engineering Services, Mubadala.