UAE firm Calidus and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense have joined forces to develop advanced aerial delivery systems, aiming to strengthen the UAE’s military and humanitarian logistics operations.
The strategic teaming agreement will combine Calidus’ local industrial expertise with Safran’s global experience in parachute and personnel delivery systems.
Together, the companies plan to design and produce state-of-the-art aerial delivery solutions, including tactical mass airdrop parachutes, with an emphasis on operational safety, reliability, and flexibility.
Calidus CEO Khalifa Murad Alblooshi said that the deal aims to address “the growing demand for aerial delivery services in the UAE while reinforcing the nation’s vision of a sovereign, innovation-driven defence industry.”
Improving UAE Aerial Delivery Capabilities
The partnership comes as local defense companies are already driving technology upgrades in aerial delivery.
For example, Calidus has signed a cooperation agreement with VentureOne, the commercialization arm of the UAE’s Advanced Technology Research Council, to use VentureOne’s electromagnetic compatibility testing services.
This enables more reliable and survivable airborne systems by ensuring subsystems communicate and behave correctly under electromagnetic stress.
Simultaneously, UAE defense technology firm EDGE Group is scaling up its in-country production with over 80 percent of its more than 220 products now manufactured in the UAE, including technologies that support aerial platforms.
