Things like "defense cooperation between Hungary and the United Arab Emirates" might sound highly exotic, as there had been no public reports of joint work between these two countries — especially in the field of air defense — until now.
Yet both countries have now revealed a joint development project called SkyKnight, Hartpunkt reports, It is designed to work as part of the Skynex system and to counter mass unmanned aerial vehicle attacks — something especially relevant amid the ongoing russian UAV assaults on Ukraine.
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Currently on a state visit to Hungary, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , Hungarian defense company 4iG and UAE industry giant EDGE Group signed a "comprehensive agreement" for further development and joint marketing of military equipment.
Their areas of cooperation include the development of UAV and anti-UAV technologies, air defense solutions, and command-and-control (C2) systems compatible with NATO standards.
As for the SkyKnight itself, only general details have been made public so far: a single launcher can hold up to 60 small surface-to-air missiles, whose cost and specifications are reportedly optimized for countering mass UAV attacks.
Additionally, 4iG and EDGE Group announced they are co-developing a jet-powered loitering munition named Shadow 25, as well as another drone under the designation Shadow 50.
While specific performance data remains undisclosed, what stands out is the fact that Hungarian and UAE engineers have developed a launcher for compact anti-air missiles, which is reportedly compatible with integration into Rheinmetall's Skynex air defense system.
This points to a clear export-oriented approach, as the Hungarian military currently does not operate the Skynex. Hungary may also serve as a European launchpad for EDGE's further expansion into the regional defense market. As a result, there's a possibility that Ukraine could either purchase this new solution or create its own equivalent to integrate into the Skynex ecosystem.
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