Edge Group touts Gulf region’s first multidomain military test island

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Emirati conglomerate Edge Group has established what it calls an international multidomain testing site for defense and aerospace systems, the first of its kind and size in the Gulf region, according to the company.

Dubbed the X Range, the site is located on the 350-square-kilometer (135-square-mile) island Abu Al Abyad, which is almost twice the area of Washington, D.C., and about an hour’s drive from Abu Dhabi. (The complex is accessible from the shore via bridge.)

“The north side of the island has a dedicated shoreline for amphibious landing training and exercises as well as shooting ranges and training facilities,” Haitham Awinat, chief executive officer of Remaya International, EDGE’s branch overseeing the venture, told Defense News at the Dubai Air Show here . “On the east side, you can find a 3,800 meter runway for large aircraft, a large drone hanger for storage, and drone testing zones.”

The location also features a directed-energy weapons testing area and is equipped with an additional 1,200 meter runway specifically for unmanned aircraft. Current airspace availability is up to 40,000ft but can be extended further if needed.

A similar training venture was recently established by the U.S. Central Command in Saudi Arabia, known as the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center, to test counter-drone technology.

According to Awinat, all the platforms in EDGE’s portfolio have been trialed there. There are plans to make the X Range available to international law enforcement and defense customers.

“Our staged development plan currently foresees that in the second half of 2024 we will be ready to onboard international clients for them to exclusively use the testing site and deliver their equipment for this end,” Awinat said.

The range can be booked for a duration anywhere between several weeks to six months for international customers., he added. “No favoritism would be conducted” in picking or rejecting clients, with the UAE ministry of defense involved in making those calls, Awinat said.

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo was a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

阿联酋迪拜——据阿联酋企业集团Edge Group称，该公司已建立了一个国际多领域国防和航空航天系统测试基地，这是海湾地区首个此类规模的测试基地。

该基地被称为X靶场，位于面积达350平方公里（135平方英里）的阿布阿比亚德岛上，该岛面积几乎是华盛顿特区的两倍，距离阿布扎比约一小时车程。（可通过桥梁从岸边进入该基地。）

“岛屿北侧拥有专门用于两栖登陆训练和演习的海岸线，以及射击场和训练设施，”负责该项目的EDGE旗下子公司Remaya International首席执行官海瑟姆·阿维纳特在迪拜航展上告诉《防务新闻》，“岛屿东侧则有一条3800米长的大型飞机跑道、一个大型无人机机库以及无人机测试区。”

该基地还设有定向能武器试验区，并配备一条专门用于无人机的1200米跑道。目前可用空域高度达40000英尺，如有需要可进一步扩展。

美国中央司令部最近在沙特阿拉伯建立了一个类似的训练项目，名为红沙综合实验中心，旨在测试反无人机技术。

据阿维纳特称，EDGE产品组合中的所有平台都已在当地进行过试用。该公司计划将X系列产品提供给国际执法和国防客户。

“我们目前的分阶段发展计划预计，在 2024 年下半年，我们将准备好迎接国际客户，让他们独家使用测试场地并为此交付他们的设备，”Awinat 说。

他补充说，国际客户可以预订靶场，预订期限从几周到六个月不等。阿维纳特表示，在选择或拒绝客户时“不会有任何偏袒”，阿联酋国防部将参与做出这些决定。

伊丽莎白·戈斯林-马洛曾任《防务新闻》欧洲通讯员。她的报道涵盖军事采购和国际安全等广泛领域，尤其擅长航空领域的报道。她常驻意大利米兰。