France expands naval presence
A report from April 7, 2025, says French naval defense firms are expanding in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital. Naval Group, MBDA, and CMN are among the companies increasing their presence in the Gulf. The UAE wants to grow its naval industry and depend less on foreign military suppliers. Some firms have already signed contracts; others are preparing for upcoming deals in this oil-rich Gulf nation. This shift marks a major change in the UAE’s defense approach.
It also indicates that France is becoming a key military partner in the region. Interestingly, this push for naval independence comes during a tech race across the Persian Gulf. World powers are competing here using cutting-edge defense systems to gain influence. France is entering this market with unique naval tech that rivals the US and China.
Naval Group, backed by the French state, builds advanced warships like the Gowind-class corvette. These ships are designed for coastal defense and maritime security, offering impressive versatility. MBDA makes precision weapons like the Exocet anti-ship missile, known for its combat success. CMN supports the effort with fast attack craft suited for Gulf waters and quick missions.
Together, these companies offer more than hardware—they open new defense partnerships for the UAE. For years, American systems like the F-35 and Patriot dominated the region’s arsenals. Now, France is offering a strong alternative with tailored, high-performance naval solutions.
SETIS Combat Management Suite
French technology excels in this context due to its adaptability and compatibility with various other technologies. For example, the 2,500-tonne Gowind corvette is a warship equipped with high-tech radar systems, such as the SETIS combat management suite, which can integrate various missile and sensor packages.
It can be used for a wide range of tasks, from fighting pirates to protecting territory. This makes it perfect for the UAE’s needs to keep its waters safe in the dangerous Persian Gulf. The Exocet from MBDA is a subsonic missile with a range of up to 180 kilometers. It has a long and fascinating history that starts with its use in the Falklands War, when it proved it could hit naval targets very accurately.
CMN’s products, like the Baynunah-class corvettes that are already in use by the UAE Navy, are designed to be light and quick, going over 30 knots. This lets them respond quickly to threats that could come from neighboring states or non-state actors.
Abu Dhabi Ship Building
The American Littoral Combat Ship, while advanced, has been criticized for cost overruns and operational limitations. These systems are different from China’s Type 056 corvette, which doesn’t have the same level of proven combat experience.
The UAE’s push for a homegrown naval industry raises a big question—can true independence come with foreign help? Abu Dhabi leaders want a domestic defense sector, powered by oil wealth and a desire for security control.
Intelligence Online reports that French companies aren’t just exporting—they’re setting up shop in the UAE. This move suggests tech sharing or even joint development could be happening behind the scenes.
Historically, the UAE has relied heavily on imports to strengthen its armed forces. Between 2009 and 2017, CMN and Abu Dhabi Ship Building delivered $1 billion in Baynunah corvettes. Yet achieving full sovereignty is challenging because radars, missiles, and engines are still sourced from abroad. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 faces similar issues with its Avante 2200 corvette deal.
Abu Dhabi’s evolving military strategy.
That program depends heavily on Spain’s Navantia, despite Riyadh’s goals for local defense production. Across the Gulf, people see this tension between ambition and practical limits all too often. The UAE began seriously investing in its military after the 1991 Gulf War exposed regional vulnerabilities. Since then, Abu Dhabi has poured billions into defense.
In 2022, it spent $19 billion on 80 French Rafale jets. These jets came loaded with MBDA’s Meteor and Storm Shadow missiles. Rising threats—like Iran’s missile tests and Houthi attacks—have made naval security more urgent. Now, maritime defense sits at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s evolving military strategy.
The UAE’s waters, which are home to important trade routes and oil infrastructure, need a strong naval presence. French companies look like they could fill that need. For example, the UAE has already had success with Naval Group’s Gowind. Two units were delivered in 2023 and 2024, making it easier for the country to patrol its coastline and protect itself from drone boats and swift attack craft.
U.S. foreign policy
The growing role of France in Abu Dhabi is part of a larger geopolitical game. The UAE’s main security partner for decades has been the US, which has given them everything from fighter jets to missile defense systems. The $23 billion F-35 deal, approved in 2021 but stalled due to political and technical difficulties, demonstrates this relationship.
Still, France’s moves point to a small change. Paris has been trying for a long time to regain power in the Middle East, a place it used to rule as a colony and where it now sees economic and strategic opportunities.
Being wary of becoming too dependent on Washington as U.S. foreign policy priorities change, the UAE seems eager to expand its ties with other countries. Other players are aware of this dynamic. Many years ago, British companies like BAE Systems did business in the Gulf. One example is the UAE’s plan to buy Typhoon jets.
China has also reached out, offering cheaper options such as the Wing Loong drone and the Type 054A frigate, but these don’t have the same combat experience as Western guns. On the other hand, Russia continues to pose a significant challenge. Sanctions on its naval exports make it hard for it to meet its regional goals, but its S-400 air defense system is a reminder of those goals.
Tawazun Council of the UAE
The fact that this partnership is based on people adds another layer of intrigue. It is said that French engineers and technicians are setting up shop in Abu Dhabi to work with Emiratis to maintain these systems and maybe even help build new ones.
The Missile Engineering Centre (MEC), which was opened by MBDA and the Tawazun Council of the UAE in 2023, is a big step in the right direction. MBDA says the MEC is the first facility of its kind outside of Europe. Its goal is to help the UAE become more self-sufficient in missile technology, which it has traditionally gotten from other countries.
It’s not clear if the initiative really leads to knowledge transfer or just keeps the customer-supplier relationship going. U.S. defense contracts, on the other hand, often have strict rules about sharing technology. For example, the F-35 program keeps source codes very secret.
France’s cooperation with others may give it an edge, but the UAE’s naval goals will depend on its ability to train a skilled, independent workforce. We should closely examine the hardware, particularly the Naval Group’s Gowind corvette, which serves as the foundation for much of this cooperation.Â
The Gowind serves as a versatile modular platform. It is 102 meters long and weighs 2,500 tonnes. Its SETIS combat system combines radar, sonar, and electronic warfare suites, which lets it find threats more than 100 kilometers away.
Iran-Iraq War
The ship can carry a helicopter or unmanned aerial vehicles, which improves its surveillance abilities. The missile loadout includes the VL MICA from MBDA for air defense and the Exocet for hitting targets on the ground.
It has room for 65 people on board and can go 3,700 nautical miles. Designed for long missions in the warm, shallow waters of the Gulf, it faces threats from Iranian submarines and pirate skiffs. Unlike the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship, which can carry up to 3,500 tonnes and reach speeds of 40 knots, the Gowind is less fast but more cost-effective and easy to use, which is fine for the UAE’s operational needs.
At 1,500 tonnes, China’s Type 056 is lighter and cheaper than the Gowind, but it doesn’t have the advanced electronics that the Gowind does. Russia’s Buyan-M corvette, which is armed with Kalibr cruise missiles, is more powerful offensively, but it has trouble getting exported.
MBDA’s contributions are also important. The Exocet MM40 Block 3 has been a mainstay of naval warfare since it was first introduced in the 1970s. It guides a 165-kilogram warhead with pinpoint accuracy using an active radar seeker.
With its long range and low flight speed, it is a very effective ship-to-ship weapon, as seen in the Iran-Iraq War. The VL MICA is a vertical-launch air defense missile that protects Gowind from incoming planes and missiles with radar or infrared guidance. It does its job by creating a 20-kilometer bubble.
EDGE Group
With these systems, the UAE has a multilayered defense that neither China nor Russia can fully match with its exports. The U.S. has a heavier option with its Harpoon missiles and Aegis-equipped destroyers, but it comes at a cost that the UAE may not always need given its focus on the region.
In the future, this partnership between France and the UAE will have effects that go beyond Abu Dhabi. There is a lot of tension in the Persian Gulf because of Iran’s naval expansion and the ongoing conflict in Yemen. The UAE’s purchase of French technology could change the balance of power in the region, making it easier for the country to defend itself against threats without relying only on U.S. carrier strike groups.
Still, the dream of a self-sufficient naval industry is still hard to reach. It’s one thing to build ships and missiles; it’s another thing to master how to design and maintain them. The UAE has had success with joint ventures like EDGE Group, but they haven’t done any fully indigenous production yet, so they have a long way to go. It’s also very important for France. If you do well in Abu Dhabi, it could lead to other Gulf markets, but if you don’t, competitors may step in, ready to take your place.
Conclusion
From an analytical perspective, this change is an interesting example of how ambition and practicality can work together. The UAE is being smart by using French knowledge to improve its defenses while still having options with other countries. While the U.S. isn’t paying attention, France is taking advantage of the lull to reassert itself in a region it knows well.
The larger picture, however, prompts me to question whether a small nation such as the UAE, with its wealth and strategic acumen, can truly assert itself in a world where the world’s superpowers still dominate naval power. The answer could affect not only the future of the Gulf but also the larger picture of geopolitics in the 21st century.
References
- Intelligence Online—France expands naval footprint in UAE (Subscription required)
- Naval Group – Gowind-class corvettes
- MBDA – Exocet MM40 Block 3 Missile
- MBDA – VL MICA Air Defence System
- CMN Group – Fast Attack Craft & Corvettes
- Tawazun Council and MBDA launch MEC in Abu Dhabi
- UAE Ministry of Defence – Strategic Partnerships
- EDGE Group – UAE Defence Industry
- U.S. Department of State – F-35 Sale to UAE
- BBC—UAE buys 80 Rafale jets from France
- Al Jazeera – UAE defence strategy amid regional tensions
- Defence News—Littoral Combat Ship criticism
- GlobalSecurity – Type 056 Corvette
- Jane’s – Russian Buyan-M class corvettes
- France24—France’s ambitions in the Middle East
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