Abu Dhabi, 16 January 2026 – Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement (Tawazun) has announced its participation in the seventh edition of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) and the Simulation and Training Exhibition (SIMTEX), held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, and Chairman of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), taking place from 20 to 22 January 2026 at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi.
The Council is also participating in the International Defence Conference, scheduled for 19 January 2026 under the theme ” “Smart Horizons: Redefining Defence Through Intelligent Autonomy”. During the three-day exhibition, the Council will also announce the contracts signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
H.E. Dr Nasser Hamid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, expressed the Council’s anticipation for participating in these exhibitions and their accompanying conference, which align with its strategic objectives of enabling national capabilities, enhancing research and development, and providing support to specialised national industries, particularly in unmanned systems, simulation & training, and artificial intelligence.
His Excellency emphasised the importance of the exhibitions as a vital opportunity for the defence industries sector to strengthen relationships with the world’s most prominent institutions and companies specialising in unmanned systems development.
He noted that such exhibitions serve as practical platforms for manufacturers and providers of unmanned systems to showcase the latest innovations in this critical defence field, whilst establishing commercial relationships and strategic partnerships that will contribute to developing national defence industries.
He explained that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, have become a fundamental pillar in the contemporary defence sector, prompting Tawazun to adopt a number of specialised strategies and initiatives aimed at enabling the defence and security industries sector to integrate AI technologies across all their solutions and products.
For his part, Saif Ali Al Marzooqi, Senior Advisor, Strategy and Executive Affairs, noted that Tawazun’s pavilion at the exhibitions will serve as a platform to showcase the council’s projects and initiatives, and its direction towards excellence in defence industries. He added that the Pavilion will showcase the Tawazun Industrial Park, as well as a number of companies supported by Tawazun, specialising in unmanned systems, robotics, and drone technology, including Sandan, AirQ, FalconiX, and Analog.
Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement serves as a national enabler focused on translating defence and security priorities into targeted institutional, industrial, and economic outcomes across the UAE ecosystem.
The Council plays a pivotal role in supporting defence procurement by ensuring acquisition programmes are strategically aligned with long-term national capability requirements whilst adhering to value-for-money principles and industrial localisation objectives.
