The largest Middle East arms defense show opened Sunday in UAE with the participation of many international firms displaying new war machines to a saturated market after a decade of huge military spending, said reports.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Shaikh Khalifa Al Nahyan, surrounded by a host of guests from around the world including Jordan’s King Abdullah, opened the fifth International Defense Exhibition (Idex), reported the Gulf News.
“Idex offers international defense firms a chance to earn good returns as they display their defense equipment,” Nahyan told reports covering the event.
The show, where some 850 international defense firms from 42 countries are displaying modern fighting machines, comes amid what defense analysts say is a glut in armaments following 10 years of heavy arms spending triggered by Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait, according to the Gulf Daily.
Organizers told the Bahraini paper that the exhibition was open to all countries except Israel.
“Several Israeli defense firms asked to participate in the show, but we ignored their requests,” said Major-General Sultan Al Suwaidi, head of the organizing committee.
UAE’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, told the Gulf News that a number of deals would be concluded during the show.
The number of exhibitors at Idex has grown from 350 firms from 31 countries in 1993 to 860 from 42 countries now. With 33 national pavilions, the largest indoor participants are US, Germany and France. While Switzerland and France occupy the largest outdoor area, UK has the largest presence in terms of companies participating – Albawaba.com
