Unmanned surface vessels were operated using artificial intelligence, onboard sensors and command-and-control systems. EDGE supplied facilities, planning expertise and operational assets, and its specialists worked with both navies to design and run the demonstration.
“Building smarter machines is no longer enough to stay ahead,” said Hamad Al Marar, EDGE’s managing director and chief executive officer. “What matters is how well those machines are commanded and controlled, and the greater their autonomy, the more important orchestration becomes.”
“Our focus is on connecting every system through a single command layer, with people defining the mission and AI managing how it is carried out. Through that layer, our sovereign capabilities and those of our allies shared a unified common operating picture, turning collaboration between partners, industries and technologies into coordinated action in the air and at sea.”
Command, targeting and autonomy
At the core of the demonstration was TACTICA AI’s Naval Warfare C2 Centre for Autonomous Systems, together with HADAF, a sovereign UAE targeting system. According to EDGE, HADAF is built on military doctrine, operational knowledge and rules of engagement.
EDGE led the integration of sovereign autonomous systems for a UAE Navy demonstration with the US Navy.
One command layer connected multiple systems, turning autonomy into coordinated action and strengthening interoperability between allied forces https://t.co/JyLjOVc3fK
— EDGE (@_edgegroup) October 22, 2026
The Technology Innovation Institute’s Maritime Autonomy Kit was also used. Among the assets deployed was the 170 M-DETECTOR, a 17-metre vessel fitted with autonomous control systems.
Counter-drone layer
For counter-drone defence, EDGE fielded the VORTEX-E interceptor and the SKYSHIELD-N naval counter-unmanned aerial system. GPS-PROTECT anti-jamming technology protected satellite navigation, while the MIRSAD-X multispectral electro-optical imager and a set of radars handled detection and tracking.
EDGE said running its systems alongside allied forces had helped improve interoperability between the partner navies. Participants also shared their experience of maritime autonomy and how it can be applied in operations.
