The UAE Defense Market - Size and trends, budget allocation, regulations, key acquisitions, competitive landscape and forecast, 2025-2030

The UAE Defense Market - Size and trends, budget allocation, regulations, key acquisitions, competitive landscape and forecast, 2025-2030 report provides the market size forecast and the projected growth rate for the next five years. The report covers industry analysis including the key market drivers, emerging technology trends, and major challenges faced by market participants. It also offers insights regarding key factors and government programs that are expected to influence the demand for military platforms over the forecast period.

During the historic period, the surge in the UAE’s defense expenditure was mainly driven by its involvement in the Yemen civil war, in support of its ally Saudi Arabia. During 2021-25, the UAE’s defense expenditure recorded a CAGR of 6.3%, rising from $18.7 billion in 2021 to value $23.9 billion in 2025. With the withdrawal of the bulk of its forces from Yemen, coupled with the country prioritizing internal stability over external interventions, the country nevertheless is still anticipated to invest in robust defense and power projection capabilities to strengthen the diplomatic heft and international stature of the country across the world.

The UAE defense budget nevertheless is anticipated to increase from $25.1 billion in 2026 to reach $30.2 billion in 2030, reflecting a CAGR of 4.7%.

with resurgence in oil prices, and tourism the UAE’s economy is anticipated to recover quickly, which will allow the UAE to significantly expand government spending on infrastructure while maintaining robust defense spending. Specific emphasis on counter-insurgency measures, while reducing foreign dependence. The threat of Iran meddling in Middle Eastern affairs will compel the UAE to maintain its robust defense posture, thus ensuring defense spending. Military modernizxation programs, development of indegenous defense industry and Counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism initiatives is anticipated to spur growth in defense expenditure.

Key Highlights

• Modernization of equipment, development of indegenous defense industry, and contribution to regional counter insurgency and counter terrorism initiatives are anticipated to fuel defense expenditure
• Strong US presence and Stringent offset regulations inhibit market entry

Scope

This report offers a detailed analysis of UAE's defense market, with market size forecasts covering the next five years. It also offers insights into the strategy, security environment and defense market dynamics of the country. Various sections covered in the report are as follows:

• Defense Budget Assessment: This chapter covers the defense budgeting process, market size forecasts, drivers of expenditure, and allocation analysis. It also examines key market trends and insights.
• Military Doctrine and Security Environment: Detailed analysis of military doctrine, strategic alliances, geopolitical dynamics, and the political, social, and economic factors influencing the security environment.
• Market Entry Strategy and Regulations: This section elaborates on essential aspects of procurement policy and market regulations, market entry routes, key defense procurement bodies and major deals.
• Market attractiveness and emerging opportunities: It evaluates the attractiveness of various defense sectors, indicating cumulative market value, and highlights the top sectors and defense segments by value in the country.
• Defense Platforms Import and Export Dynamics: Provides an understanding of the defense platform imports and exports of the country from 2016 to 2024. Both imports and exports of the country are provided in terms of value ($M) and volume (units), categorized by country and sector.
• Defense Platform Acquisitions: It offers an overview of defense platform acquisitions by value. It lists current defense procurement schedules for the major ongoing and planned military platforms that have been formulated in the country and elaborates on the reasons leading to the procurement of the same.
• Fleet Size: Outlines the current fleet sizes of the Army, Air Force, and Navy, detailing the year of acquisition, units in service, and the prime contractor for the equipment.
• Competitive Landscape: Profiles the main defense companies operating in the country, offering insights into their business overviews, latest contracts, and financial results.

Reasons to Buy

• Determine prospective investment areas based on a detailed trend analysis of the UAE defense market over the next five years
• Gain in-depth understanding about the underlying factors driving demand for different defense and internal security segments in the UAE market and identify the opportunities offered.
• Strengthen your understanding of the market in terms of demand drivers, market trends, and the latest technological developments, among others
• Identify the major threats that are driving the Italian defense market providing a clear picture about future opportunities that can be tapped, resulting in revenue expansion
• Channel resources by focusing on the ongoing programs that are being undertaken by the UAE government
• Make correct business decisions based on in-depth analysis of the competitive landscape consisting of detailed profiles of the top defense equipment providers in the country. The company profiles also includes information about the key products, alliances, recent contract awarded, and financial analysis, wherever availables