Sunday, Feb 19, 2017

The International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex), began in spectacular fashion on Sunday morning with a live military show, attended by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The rulers of the UAE then toured the exhibition, stopping to inspect the military hardware and technology on display from countries all around the world. They were accompanied by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir.

“Led by my brother Mohammad Bin Zayed, Idex featured 150 national companies and set a new standard for international defence conferences,” Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid said on Twitter following the demonstration.

“The vision of the head of state has led this to become the largest gathering of international military defence companies, and a regional power in the industry,” he added. One of the largest defence exhibitions in the world, the Idex opening ceremony began with marching bands, before turning to a live military demonstration, featuring attack helicopters, pyrotechnics, fighter jet fly-bys and soldiers engaged in tense firefights.

The demonstration centred around a terrorist group who had captured an aid convoy and were equipped with chemical weapons.

Emirati special forces, supported by tanks, trucks, attack boats and even a submarine, stormed the scene and secured the safety of the humanitarian workers.

The display signalled the official start to the five day biennial conference and exhibition, attended by foreign dignitaries, minsters and industry leaders.

On offer to visitors at IDEX and NAVDEX (naval defence and maritime security exhibition) is military and police equipment ranging from protective body armour, to rifles, submarines, tanks, and anti-aircraft missile defence systems.

The event is in its 13th edition, whilst Navdex is in its fourth.

The level of business done at IDEX has grown steadily over the past decade, with over Dh18.33 billion in deals inked at the last event in 2015.

Spending is set to remain high this year, with governments around the world concerned over growing tensions. Over Dh4.4 billion in deals were inked for the UAE Armed Forces on the first day of the event.

It is now considered one of the very largest defence exhibitions in the world, with a total of 1,235 companies taking part this year, a 3 per cent rise on 2015.

The participation of local companies has increased by 17 per cent since the last event, according to Staff Major-General Pilot Faris Al Mazrouei, chairman of the higher committee organising Idex and Navdex.

The committee expects over 100,000 visitors to the exhibition this year.

By Ed Clowes Staff Reporter

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