Tawazun and Lockheed Martin to set up advanced microchip design and assembly facility in UAE
Abu Dhabi, May 8. In a major step toward strengthening the UAE’s advanced manufacturing and technology ecosystem, Tawazun Council for Defence Empowerment and Lockheed Martin have signed an agreement to establish a state-of-the-art microelectronics design and assembly facility in the country.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of Make it in the Emirates 2026, underscoring the UAE’s continued push to localise high-technology industries and expand its footprint in next-generation manufacturing.
The project will be implemented in collaboration with EDGE Group and Khalifa University of Science and Technology. The new facility will focus on advanced microelectronics built around modular chiplet-based architecture, an emerging approach in semiconductor design that enhances performance, flexibility, and scalability.
Officials said the initiative is expected to significantly boost the UAE’s capabilities in advanced chip technologies while contributing to the localisation of manufacturing and the strengthening of domestic industrial value chains. The facility is also aimed at positioning the country as a competitive global hub for future-facing technologies in the semiconductor and defence sectors.
By combining international expertise with local research, industrial capacity, and academic collaboration, the partnership is set to play a key role in advancing the UAE’s ambitions in high-tech innovation and defence empowerment.
