Page 23 - ADT APRIL 2022 Online Magazine

advanced pilot training system, H-47 Chinook,

systems as well as its Air Power Teaming
System. Russian aggression against Ukraine,
and the backlash that Moscow is receiving for
it, gives the U.S. a prime opportunity to further
consolidate its position as the preeminent
arms supplier to the Middle East. Moscow has
in recent years been open about its goal of
increasing weapons sales to the region and has
had considerable success as well; according
to a Stockholm International Peace Research
Airborne Early Warning & Control, unmanned [ SHOW REPORT ]
Institute (SIPRI) report last year, about a third
of Russia’s recent arms exports were to Middle
Eastern customers. According to SIPRI, coun-
tries in the Middle East accounted for nearly
half of all U.S. arms exports between 2016 and
2020. During Biden’s first year at the helm,
overall U.S. arms sales went down by 21% in
the 2021 fiscal year compared to the previous
year. Amidst the decline in weapons sales and
the military pullback, the Biden administration
has been eager to reiterate its commitment to
its allies in the region.

The U.S. State Department approved, in
November last year, a US$650m sale of air-
to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia. Two months
earlier, the U.S. announced that it would send
350 contractor technicians and two govern-
ment officials to handle the maintenance of
the Saudi military’s military helicopter fleet,
including Apache and Black Hawk attack heli-
Association. Over the last decade, Turkish defence firms have copters, as well as the future fleet of Chinook
delivered a growing range of defence equipment to Qatar. The helicopters.
Qatari Emiri Naval Forces (QENF) signed a contract with Turkish
shipbuilder Anadolu Shipyard at DIMDEX 2018 for two cadet train-
ing ships, the first one of which was delivered in August last year. Something for Everyone
The Turkish shipbuilder has also signed a contract to build five A panel comprising renowned naval defence
other navy ships for the QENF, including the LCT80-type landing commanders, global security experts, thought
ship Al-Abrar Fuwairat that can carry 260 soldiers. leaders and academics discussed threadbare
the biggest challenge to the maritime domain
The presence of a sizable contingent of U.S. companies at the event – asymmetric threats- at the Middle East Naval
provided proof, if any was needed, that the Middle East continues Commanders Conference (MENC), which
to be a priority market for defence firms in the country. All the took place on the second day of the event. At
major companies, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon and the conference, which had ‘Resilience in the
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), showcased Maritime Domain – Confronting Asymmetric
their range of capabilities at the show, eager to dispel any notions Threats’ as its theme, the speakers contex-
that they would start focusing on other markets in the backdrop of tualized the main challenges to the security
the United States scaling back its military presence in the Middle of regional and international waters. Speakers
East to focus on its power competition with near peer adversaries from different regions of the world provided
China and Russia. As many as 15 U.S. exhibitors were at the event, their own unique perspectives in a concerted
with 11 of them exhibiting as part of Kallman Worldwide’s USA effort to find answers to key naval security
Partnership Pavilion. threats. Another major highlight of the event
GA-ASI, which has seen interest in its SeaGuardian, the maritime was the display of the visiting warships at
variant of the MQ-9B, from Qatar and a few other countries in the Hamad Port, which included 12 warships from
region, showcased the actual remotely piloted aircraft at the event. 10 countries. The segment provided visitors
Boeing highlighted its range of products and technologies that are with the opportunity to interact and dialogue
either active in the region or in demand, including the F-15, KC-46, T-7 with the ships’ personnel and crews.

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY April 2022 | 23