RIYADH — Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Saudi Arabia’s World Defense Show will open its first-ever edition Sunday with an expected 30,000 visitors throughout the four-day show, from March 6-9, 2022.

Founded by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), World Defense Show, set to be held every two years, will accelerate the future of the industry by showcasing the latest technological developments from around the globe, demonstrating defense interoperability across all major domains: air, land, sea, space and security systems.

Across the four trade days, high-level delegations from dozens of countries will visit stands and pavilions featuring products and demonstrations from hundreds of global and local exhibitors.

Governor of GAMI Ahmad Al-Ohali said: “The 6th of March will mark an important milestone in the Kingdom’s journey towards localizing 50% of its military expenditure by 2030.

“We have seen overwhelming global interest for participating at World Defense Show’s first edition and we look forward to providing a conducive environment for networking and cross-border partnerships to drive innovation in the industry.

“There has never been a better time to partner with Saudi Arabia’s defense and security ecosystem as we continue to transform a nascent industry with immense potential.

“Our doors are open to international manufacturers and service providers who share our vision for technology transfer, talent development and defense industrialization.”

For his part, World Defense Show CEO Andrew Pearcey said: “World Defense Show is envisioned to be one of the world’s best defense and security events, providing a world-class meeting environment with unprecedented networking programs.

“The level of international demand is unlike anything we have seen before in the industry and that is testament to Saudi Arabia’s position as a key market for the industry and its vision to support economic growth through developing the defense sector.

“We look forward to inspiring conversations about the future of defense among visitors, delegations and exhibitors from over 80 countries.”

World Defense Show is tailored to provide a unique platform for networking, collaboration, knowledge-sharing and the discovery of new innovations.

A tailored Meet the Buyer program will host up to 600 meetings, connecting buyers and suppliers, from companies that cover all major areas of the global defense industry, through pre-arranged, face-to-face meetings.

Another flagship networking program is World Defense Show’s Meet the KSA Government Program, highlighting opportunities in Saudi Arabia for investors to meet with key local defense players and learn more about the industry’s strategy, objectives, tendering and procurement guidelines as well as partnership requirements.

Spanning across an 800,000 sqm site World Defense Show features three large exhibition halls, outdoor exhibit spaces, a dedicated interoperability demonstration area, a purpose-built 3KM-long runway and space for static aircraft.

Running up to six times per day, an interactive and immersive Command & Control Center will feature a 20-minute show simulating the future of interoperability at the highest levels.

World Defense Show’s dedicated Start-Up Zone will host the latest technologies driven by small and medium companies from around the world — playing host to an exclusive networking environment to introduce SME products to industry decision-makers, investors and venture capital firms.

Daily themed panel discussions and keynote presentations will introduce the audience to insights giving rise to the technologies exhibited at World Defense Show. Key Saudi entities that are developing the Kingdom’s industry and economy will deliver sessions that offer insights into Saudi Arabia’s defense industry transformation.

On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022, leading women in defense will gather at a special event to celebrate, promote, and accelerate participation in the defense industry.

The full-day event will feature keynote presentations and interactive panel discussions, to advocate for, and connect with the diverse voices of today’s defense community.

The final day of the show will open its doors to 5,000 talented Saudi students from the Kingdom’s best STEM institutions for the Future Talent Program.

The program will connect participants to career opportunities and apprenticeship programs in the defense and security sectors, offering young professionals valuable advice to kickstart and progress their careers. — SPA