On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates’ state-owned defense conglomerate EDGE and Israel’s state-owned aerospace firm IAI signed an agreement to collaborate on the design of unmanned military and commercial vessels.

According to a joint statement, the “17 M” unmanned surface vessels will be capable of carrying out security operations, mine sweeping, and surveillance, among other things.

“With advanced sensors, sonars, and imaging systems integrated into a unified command and control system, the USV can operate remotely, semi-autonomously, or autonomously, with no human intervention,” according to the statement.

“It is an important milestone for EDGE to forge collaborations with leading defense players such as IAI to strengthen our advanced technology portfolio,” said Faisal Al Bannai, CEO and Managing Director of EDGE Group.

“Through this strategic alliance, we can ensure optimal autonomous operational solutions that reduce risk to human life, address key challenges for various industries, and enable a secure future for all,” he added. These developments will provide us with numerous opportunities in both local and global markets, both military and commercial.”

In a deal brokered by the US, the UAE and Israel established diplomatic ties last year.