Leonardo DRS and the UAE’s Space42 have signed a memorandum of understanding to weave secure satellite links into the mission systems used by Emirati forces.
Announced Aug. 6, the pact brings together Leonardo DRS’s C5ISR mission-systems expertise and Space42’s AI-enabled satellite communications and beyond-line-of-sight connectivity. The two companies plan joint design and integration of advanced mission capabilities for the UAE, the firms said in a statement.
Denny Crumley, who leads Leonardo DRS’s Land Electronics unit, called the agreement a step toward supporting UAE national security priorities with proven, integrated capabilities, and a route for the company’s international business with strategic partners.
Space42’s Ahmed Al Mehrzi said the arrangement pairs his firm’s sovereign satellite infrastructure with AI-enabled communications to strengthen protected links across the UAE’s national security ecosystem.
The deal reflects rising demand in the Gulf for resilient, sovereign connectivity as militaries lean harder on satellite networks that keep working when terrestrial infrastructure is cut. Space42 operates satellite services that extend secure communications beyond ground networks, while Leonardo DRS builds rugged tactical computing, smart displays and AI-enabled processing for US and allied forces.
The agreement extends Space42’s pattern of partnering with Western defense electronics suppliers. It also gives Leonardo DRS a deeper path into Gulf markets at a time when regional militaries are spending heavily on networked, space-enabled operations.
Neither company disclosed a financial value for the memorandum of understanding.
