Riyadh to receive 37 countries in International Defense Exhibition first edition

Agencies | Riyadh

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Saudi Arabia announced the completion of preparations for the launch of the International Defense Exhibition (IDE), a leading global event on defence and security, in its first edition in Riyadh.

The event is to be held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from March 6-9, according to the Saudi News Agency (SPA).

The exhibition will begin its first day with an opening ceremony that includes live demonstrations of the capabilities of interoperability between defence and security systems in all fields, with the participation of thousands of visitors and hundreds of industry giants, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Navantia, BAE Systems, L3 Harris and Norinco.

More than 450 companies from around 37 countries will participate in showcasing the latest defence and security industry technologies across land, sea, air, space and information security, in an ideal environment for communication, innovation and stimulating partnerships.

A day before the start of the exhibition, organized by the General Authority for Military Industries, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) will organize the “Riyadh Defense Forum” as a preparatory event for the first edition of the Exhibition, which will host several military and political figures across the globe to discuss the latest trends in the sector which will shape the future of defence and security, followed by the "Riyadh Salute" event, where international military planes will overfly Riyadh to perform a dazzling air show.

Saudi Arabia will also showcase its local capabilities in the security and defence industries, through the Saudi pavilion to be held on the sidelines of IDE, with wide participation of military and government agencies and local companies.

The list of participants will include the Ministry of Defense, the main partner of the exhibition, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of National Guard, the Presidency of State Security, the General Authority for Military Industries and other government companies, as well as a large number of national companies such as the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the strategic partner of the exhibition, offering great opportunities to connect with companies and investors from around the world to establish partnerships, transfer technology and develop local competencies, which supports the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s vision to localize more than 50 % of its military spending by 2030.