Thales and the UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) have signed an MoU to develop a long-term partnership to build a Cyber Centre of Excellence in the UAE. The initiative aims to enhance national cyber resilience, accelerate local talent development, and strengthen the UAE’s technological sovereignty across critical and emerging domains.
The partnership includes three major projects. The Space META-SOC will strengthen cybersecurity for space infrastructures, integrating advanced monitoring capabilities and training for satellite and ground systems. The Cyber Evaluation Lab will test and evaluate hardware and software, develop governance frameworks, and support critical sectors starting with space. The Crypto Lab will design and validate cryptographic solutions tailored for the space environment, with a strong focus on post-quantum cryptography and quantum key distribution.
Led under the national cyber strategy of Dr. Al Kuwaiti, the Centre of Excellence aims to build sustainable Emirati expertise, foster R&D, and drive collaboration between government and global technology leaders. Thales will bring extensive experience from European Space Agency projects to support skills development and technology transfer.
Thales executives said the partnership represents a major step toward building a sovereign and secure cyber ecosystem for the UAE. The collaboration will also expand into additional strategic sectors and jointly explore opportunities in global markets, reinforcing the UAE’s ambition to become a regional leader in cybersecurity and advanced technology.
