As the UAE continues its rise as a global hub for defence innovation, its strategic emphasis on technological sovereignty and national capability development remains unwavering. In this context, Al Jundi interviewed Haitham Awinat, CEO of REMAYA—a key entity of EDGE Group—to explore the pivotal role of XRANGE, a state-of-the-art testing and evaluation facility, and had the following dialogue with him:
Please give us a brief introduction about yourself and your career.
My background spans over 20 years in the defence and aerospace sectors, with a strong focus on operations, program management, and strategic delivery. Prior to joining REMAYA, I held several leadership roles across both government and private-sector initiatives, where I gained hands-on experience in managing complex defence programs and building cross-functional teams.
My path to becoming CEO of REMAYA has been driven by a passion for innovation, operational excellence, and national capability development. I joined REMAYA with the mission of transforming our testing and training capabilities, and with the support of EDGE Group, we have rapidly evolved into a regional leader in multi-domain defence testing. It is a privilege to lead REMAYA at a time when the UAE is investing heavily in sovereign technologies and indigenous defence infrastructure, and I am proud to be part of that journey.
What role does XRANGE play in supporting the development and export of UAE-made defence technologies through test and evaluation?
XRANGE is a champion of the ‘Made in the Emirates’ initiative, and we are committed to supporting UAE defence and aerospace manufacturers as they strive to achieve the nation’s broader Industry 4.0 vision.
As a technology accelerator, we help innovators make evidence-based decisions on safety and operational use, fast-tracking development and trials, and time to market. The UAE can now conduct research and development for defence and security solutions domestically, without depending heavily on foreign facilities for training, testing, and evaluation (TT&E), saving significant time and capital compared to overseas testing.
Beyond the defence and global security landscapes, XRANGE serves as a hub for emerging technologies designed to address future challenges. For example, XRANGE supports Mira Aerospace, Space42’s High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) platform developer, by providing airspace allocation, ground-based instrumentation, and trial planning support. This real-world example demonstrates how supporting platform development will drive significant benefits for the UAE, particularly in environmental monitoring, agriculture, and future energy applications.
How does XRANGE align with the UAE’s vision of becoming a global hub for cutting-edge defence and security solutions?
As a strategic UAE asset, XRANGE is an ideal testing location for joint technology programmes between local and international partners. OEMs and research institutions can access the facilities and support necessary for real-world system validation in demanding, hot weather conditions.
Unique to the region for its commercial testing capabilities, XRANGE’s multi-domain facilities serve civilian sectors such as autonomous vehicles, energy, space systems, environmental management, disaster response, and robotics, opening doors to a broader market.
XRANGE offers tailored training solutions for commercial, law enforcement, and military personnel. What are the key differentiators that make it adaptable to diverse user requirements? How does this benefit defence clients both operationally and cost-effectively?
XRANGE is fully equipped and integrated with advanced systems, secure communications, and streamlined testing processes. Its modular architecture is one of our core strengths, enabling clients to customise assessments based on their operational requirements.
The modularity of TT&E facilities and activities requires fewer prototypes and test cycles, accelerating decision-making and reducing costly redesigns or retrofits. Early identification of issues ensures faster resolution, enabling manufacturers to bring sophisticated, industry-leading products to market with confidence.
Another feature that sets us apart from our competitors is our agile approach, allowing customers to access XRANGE within weeks, not months, through our advanced booking system.
What measures does XRANGE implement to guarantee safe, secure, and efficient execution of testing and trial operations?
Safety and security are non-negotiables for XRANGE. We operate with experimental systems for which the performance envelopes are not yet fully understood, and the purpose of test and evaluation is to discover and push the operational limits of a platform or system. This does not mean it cannot be done safely and in ways which reduce the risk to the platform and more importantly, to people, ensuring the highest possible standards of safety are upheld.
Safety starts with a strong culture of awareness. Anyone involved in testing can immediately stop any activity over safety concerns, without fear of recrimination and with full management support. Our Trials Safety Board has sole authority to approve or halt tests. The board reviews every detail, and if risks have not been mitigated to an acceptable level, the test will not proceed. Instead, we will work with our customer to resolve safety management issues before moving forward.
In terms of site security, XRANGE is an access-controlled environment and movement around the island is monitored with multiple manned security checkpoints. Live fire ranges and sensitive sites are fenced off and secured with a 24/7 guard force and our security procedures are routinely inspected by the UAE Ministry of Defence.
Virtually, we are equipped with state-of-the-art interlocking and encrypted RF tracking towers, which prevent signal intercepts from outside the island and operate like a huge Faraday cage, preventing the leakage of sensitive trial data. This also supports the passive surveillance of all personnel and assets, in conjunction with physical security sweeps so that we know that the range is ‘green’ or clear to conduct testing. We also operate a centralised Range Control Building which fuses the RF tracking with other data such as our Air Surveillance Radar, Weather Station and Frequency Spectrum Analyser. Further reinforcing safety on XRANGE, we can either virtually or physically firewall customer test activities while on site.
XRANGE’s NOTAM allows operation up to 10,000 feet on a routine basis, well below the commercial air traffic routes close to Abu Al Abyad. This allows for good separation of airspace and deconfliction. When required to conduct tests above 10,000 feet, we work in close coordination with the UAE’s civil and military air traffic authorities to ensure that all airspace activities are carefully managed.
What upcoming innovations or expansions can we expect in the future?
In a short amount of time since our launch, we have grown our client base both locally and internationally and have expanded our capabilities. Early this year, we announced new runways for UAS operations, specifically a 1.2 km secondary runway at Abu Al Abyad Airfield for UAS testing, and two 800-metre emergency runways to ensure safer UAS recovery during in-flight contingencies.
We also announced our fully operational Environmental Test Facility that conducts component-level testing, including electrodynamic shaker tables, temperature and humidity chambers, and drop-testing for up to 40 kg of high explosives. The Environmental Test Facility is designed to help customers validate systems and components in line with MIL-STD-810H and other international standards.
In the pipeline, we are developing a Vehicle Blast and Ballistics Testing facility to assess the survivability of light armoured vehicles (both civilian and military) against common blast and ballistic threats, including small arms, RPGs, mine strikes and IEDs. This will support our customers in ultimately achieving compliance with recognised international standards such as STANAG-4569.
Further initiatives have been introduced to support our medium to long-term growth strategies, mainly focusing on our engineering and systems deployment capabilities which will allow for a greater reach to our international clients.
How does XRANGE strengthen the UAE’s national capabilities, global competitiveness and operational readiness?
More than a destination for trials, XRANGE is a vital pillar of innovation across various sectors. It plays a critical role in bolstering operational readiness and strengthening global competitiveness through local capability building, talent development, and R&D. XRANGE bridges the gap between theory and reality, serving as a proving ground for strategic assets across air, land, sea, space and cyber that require interoperability, reliability, and effectiveness.
As multi-domain systems and products continue to shape the future of global security, innovation, and defence, XRANGE underscores the strategic importance of forming the foundation of a dynamic, future-proof, and resilient national capability, ensuring readiness of cutting-edge technologies that not only advance the defence industry but also unlock opportunities in other crucial sectors. Agility and openness to fast-track innovation are the integral reasons for our rapid growth, and with the support of EDGE, we intend to build on this momentum and continue this trajectory.●
» Interviewed by: «Aljundi »
