ABU DHABI, 28th October, 2026 (WAM) -- EDGE’s medium- to large-calibre ammunition manufacturer, LAHAB, has completed the first dynamic test firing of its 155mm Extended Range Full Bore (ERFB) artillery ammunition, which features a deep intrusion fuze well and was designed and produced in-house.
Launch conditions were in line with expectations, and all rounds, fired from a 52-calibre barrel, held their predicted trajectories and impacted within the target area, demonstrating consistent grouping and tight dispersion.
The trial was designed to confirm compatibility with weapons built to the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMOU) standard, agreement between theoretical and measured chamber pressures and between predicted and actual points of impact, and the structural integrity of the projectile’s components. Each objective was successfully demonstrated.
Saif Al Dahbashi, President – Missiles & Weapons, EDGE, said, “This first firing confirms that chamber pressures, projectile performance, and component integrity all met our expectations. It marks the point at which our design moves from the drawing board to demonstrated performance. Artillery ammunition has become the clearest test of whether a country can supply itself, and building this capability in the UAE means our customers are not waiting in someone else’s production queue.”
The next stage is arena testing to quantify the effectiveness of the projectile, followed by qualification to Military Standard (MIL-STD) requirements and NATO Standardisation Agreement (STANAG) 4224.
Qualification will mark the next major milestone on the path to demonstrating Safety and Suitability for Service.
HAZEEM aims to develop an entirely UAE-made range of artillery ammunition. The programme reflects EDGE’s approach to sovereign capability, in which systems are designed, manufactured, and sustained in the UAE, and is intended to give the UAE and EDGE’s customers assured and responsive access to large-calibre ammunition.