emirates7 - During the Make it in the Emirates 2025 forum, Tawazun Council and Airbus announced an expansion of their strategic partnership with the launch of a new national programme aimed at developing industrial capabilities in the aerospace sector.
This initiative focuses on the manufacturing and supply of Cargo Compartment Removable Tanks (CCRTs), in collaboration with EPI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group.
The agreement was formalised in the presence of Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of Tawazun Council, and was signed by Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, CEO of Operations at Tawazun Council, and Gabriel Semelas, President of Airbus for Africa and the Middle East, alongside other representatives from both organisations.
The programme is designed to support the UAE’s long-term vision of expanding its role in global aerospace and defence supply chains. It involves the design and production of mobile, multi-purpose fuel tanks for cargo compartments, which will be used in aerial refuelling, ground operations, and extended-range missions.
This project is part of the Tawazun Economic Programme, a key strategy of the Council aimed at enhancing local industrial content and encouraging the transfer of advanced technology to the UAE’s aviation and defence sectors. Under this initiative, the exclusive serial production of CCRTs will be supported over the next five years.
Airbus Defence and Space will work with EPI to source, manufacture, and assemble aerostructures and sub-assemblies, as well as certify specific production processes. Once the development phase is complete, EPI will become the exclusive supplier of these components, further establishing the UAE as a significant player in the global aerospace and defence industries.
Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi highlighted that the initiative is part of a larger strategic roadmap with Airbus and reflects the Council’s dedication to empowering local industries and integrating them into international supply chains. He emphasised the project's role in transferring technology and expertise to Emirati professionals, supporting the creation of globally competitive, high-tech products.
Gabriel Semelas reaffirmed Airbus’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s aerospace ambitions through innovation, skills development, and job creation. He noted that setting up exclusive CCRT production in the UAE is a key milestone for expanding EDGE Precision Industries into defence manufacturing and bolstering the country’s position in global markets for advanced aerospace components.
Airbus, having partnered with the UAE for nearly 20 years, continues to play a pivotal role in the development of local manufacturing capabilities, workforce training, and the transfer of advanced technologies.
This initiative focuses on the manufacturing and supply of Cargo Compartment Removable Tanks (CCRTs), in collaboration with EPI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group.
The agreement was formalised in the presence of Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of Tawazun Council, and was signed by Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, CEO of Operations at Tawazun Council, and Gabriel Semelas, President of Airbus for Africa and the Middle East, alongside other representatives from both organisations.
The programme is designed to support the UAE’s long-term vision of expanding its role in global aerospace and defence supply chains. It involves the design and production of mobile, multi-purpose fuel tanks for cargo compartments, which will be used in aerial refuelling, ground operations, and extended-range missions.
This project is part of the Tawazun Economic Programme, a key strategy of the Council aimed at enhancing local industrial content and encouraging the transfer of advanced technology to the UAE’s aviation and defence sectors. Under this initiative, the exclusive serial production of CCRTs will be supported over the next five years.
Airbus Defence and Space will work with EPI to source, manufacture, and assemble aerostructures and sub-assemblies, as well as certify specific production processes. Once the development phase is complete, EPI will become the exclusive supplier of these components, further establishing the UAE as a significant player in the global aerospace and defence industries.
Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi highlighted that the initiative is part of a larger strategic roadmap with Airbus and reflects the Council’s dedication to empowering local industries and integrating them into international supply chains. He emphasised the project's role in transferring technology and expertise to Emirati professionals, supporting the creation of globally competitive, high-tech products.
Gabriel Semelas reaffirmed Airbus’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s aerospace ambitions through innovation, skills development, and job creation. He noted that setting up exclusive CCRT production in the UAE is a key milestone for expanding EDGE Precision Industries into defence manufacturing and bolstering the country’s position in global markets for advanced aerospace components.
Airbus, having partnered with the UAE for nearly 20 years, continues to play a pivotal role in the development of local manufacturing capabilities, workforce training, and the transfer of advanced technologies.