Saudi Arabia plans major defence expo in March 2022

RIYADH – Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest arms importer, announced Wednesday it will holding “The World Defence Show” for the first time in March 2022.

“The World Defense Show is a key milestone for Saudi Arabia as it continues to develop a sustainable local defence industry,” said Ahmad Al-Ohali, governor of the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI).

Speaking at a virtual news conference attended by international defence companies, Ohali stated that technology has accelerated the rate at which the global defence industry is evolving, prompting defence considerations to become increasingly complex.

Ohali also stressed the need for a platform that enables the defence community to convene and collectively consider opportunities and challenges.

“This is why we are launching World Defense Show, an innovative platform showcasing, through both live and virtual demonstrations, the possibilities that interoperability can provide across all five defence domains: air, land, sea, security, and satellite.”

Founded by GAMI, the World Defense Show will focus on interoperability across air, land, sea, security, innovative defence technologies and satellite defence systems.

Former Farnborough Airshow CEO Shaun Ormrod has been hired as chief executive of the biennial expo, the General Authority for Military Industries said.

With a venue that will accommodate about 80,000 square meters of floor space, the four-day expo will feature demonstration facilities and virtual technological capabilities to showcase every defence domain on an unprecedented scale.

Saudi Arabia’s vision to localise 50% of its multi-billion-dollar defence expenditure by 2030 presents massive opportunities to global industry and investors.

The defence industry sector is key to supporting the country’s GDP. By 2030, the sector is expected to achieve about $2.5 billion in revenues and create about 42,000 direct job opportunities.

“Today’s launch of the World Defense Show marks an exciting inflexion point for the defence industry and a step forward in the ambition and scale of a defence trade show,” Ormrod was quoted by SPA as saying.

“Through the World Defense Show we will demonstrate why Saudi Arabia is critical to the defence industry’s future,” he added.

Ormrod said that the expo will enable access to dedicated programmes that support the kingdom’s local businesses. It will also leverage investment opportunities and encourage a new generation to work in the defence industries, he said.

The exhibition, according to Ormod, will cover all defence sectors and focus on the future of the defence industries by highlighting future technologies and operational compatibility between all systems.

Currently, the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi is the region’s largest industry gathering, with the next one due to be held next February.

In the past 25 years, the event has seen the number of exhibitors increase fourfold and the number of participating countries rose 250% in the same period.