The International Defense
Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) 2013 that opened in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) on Sunday, attracted many defense-industry enterprises from home
and abroad.
Launched in 1993, the biennial
IDEX has become one of the largest fairs for defense technology and military
equipment in the world. This year's IDEX is hosting around 1,112 exhibiting
companies from 59 countries and regions.
The event's organizers claim
that, as the only tri-service exhibition in the Middle East & North
Africa, IDEX is able to provide the optimum business environment for
international solution providers across land, sea and air sectors to target
buyers in the region.
The event is held under the
patronage of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and
Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
The host country UAE, with 144
companies participating, occupied the largest exhibition space at the Abu Dhabi
National Exhibition Center.
The Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
system from the UAE-based NIMR Company is one of the event's highlights.
"It's the world's first LAV
equipped with a heavy-duty turret. Compared with the turret, the vehicle looks
small in size. Such turrets are usually for tanks or 8x8 armored
vehicles," said Mohamed Musabah Al Mazrouei, the acting general manager of
NIMR, UAE's largest military vehicle manufacturer.
Mazrouei said that his company
has set up a joint venture in Algeria, with a contract for the production of
such armored vehicles with an annual turnout of 200 units for 15 years.
LAVs will mainly be exported to
North African countries.
He also added that LAV buyers
mainly preferred its great advantage in adapting to the desert environment and
high temperature in the Middle East region.
David Reeths, director of HIS Jane's
Consulting Company, said that UAE first began to develop its domestic defense
industry during the mid-1990s. At that time, ship-building was their primary
target, but now that has shifted to the development of military vehicles.
With the changing of global
defense strategies under the current global military strategic situation, it
also provided a good opportunity for the development of UAE's defense industry.
He also added that the UAE's
defense industry is still in the start-up period as the petrochemical industry
is the country's pillar industry. With an increased investment in the past two
years, UAE's defense industry has achieved impressive development.
Hosting the region's largest
international defense exhibition could not only help UAE further develop its
defense industry, but also bring great economic benefits, Reeths added.
According to official statistics
from Abu Dhabi, this year's IDEX, which will close on Feb. 21, is expected to
bring a revenue of 300 million U.S. dollars.
APTN
To watch the full report, please click on the video above