Page 10 - ADT MARCH 2021 Online Magazine

Expect Deals

Galore

WITH QATAR FOCUSED ON ITS [ COUNTRY FOCUS : QATAR ]
MILITARY MODERNIZATION
PROGRAM, DIMDEX 2022 IS
LIKELY TO SEE PLENTY OF
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY

Arun Sivasankaran
billion have been signed across the previous editions; in the 2018
The seventh edition of the Doha International edition alone, 35 partnerships were announced. With DIMDEX being
Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference held after four years and Barzan Holdings aggressively promoting
(DIMDEX), which will take place from March the country’s domestic defense sector, one can expect to see sub-
21-23 at the Qatar National Convention Centre stantial commercial activity during the event that has grown in scope
(QNCC), is expected to signal not only the over the years to include products and technologies that span the
near-total recovery of the global defence indus- land, air, sea, and cyberspace domains.
try from the pandemic but also the coming of
age of Qatar’s indigenous defence industry. Staff Brigadier (Sea) Abdulbaqi Saleh Al-Ansari, Chairman of
DIMDEX, expects the seventh edition to further speed up the growth
With Qatar continuing to invest big in naval and of the local defense and security industry. “As many of our leading
military technology, the biennial event has pre- domestic companies have realized, the experience gained from
dictably attracted a healthy mix of domestic and interacting and conducting business with major defense companies
international companies. In addition to major in the international arena, at an event of such global magnitude, is
players such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, priceless and goes a long way in raising their international profile.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA- Through DIMDEX 2022, we hope to once again meet our twin objec-
ASI), Airbus, Leonardo, Boeing, Aselsan, Turkish tives of strengthening our national security infrastructure and further
Aerospace, Safran, Roketsan, Rafale, Northrop fortifying the robust health of our local defense industry.”
Grumman, and L3Harris, the biennial event has a
number of emerging players in the field of mari- The four main features of the edition are the exhibition where new
time defence and security highlighting new and products and capabilities will be on display in an area spread over
futuristic technologies. 35,000 sqm at the QNCC, the Middle East Naval Commanders
Conference (MENC) that will discuss many issues pertinent to the
More than 200 companies from nearly 20 coun- maritime domain, including ways to counter Asymmetric threats, the
tries are attending the event that is hosted and Visiting Warships Display at Hamad Port, as well as the networking
organized by Qatar Armed Forces. China, Italy, opportunities with over 80 VIP delegations from around the world.
France, Germany, Turkey, USA, Canada, UK,
Australia, Pakistan, and India have their own On a Buying Spree
pavilions while four countries - Croatia, Iran, Since 2017, Qatar has signed contracts worth more than USD32
Jordan, and South Korea – are participating billion for new equipment, including F-15QA jetfighters and Apache
for the first time at the exhibition. Turkey has helicopter gunships, Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes and Hawk train-
a particularly strong contingent, similar to the ers, NH-90 helicopters, Rafale fighter aircraft and A330 MRTT aerial
2018 edition in which more than 30 Turkish firms refueling planes. The Qatari Navy has procured eight new vessels.
attended and achieved commercial success to All the new equipment is expected to be delivered by 2024. Over the
the tune of about USD800 million. last decade, Qatar has focused on diversifying its arms supplier base;
the recent purchases involve companies from countries such as the
Opportunities Await U.S., U.K, Italy, Germany, and France. Besides investing in training
Founded in 2008, DIMDEX’s growing interna- and capacity building programs, the Qatari Defense Ministry is also
tional stature is partly due to the considerable anticipated to procure attack and multi-utility helicopters, anti-tank
number of opportunities for commercial part- weapons systems, integrated air and missile defense systems, cyber
nerships that previous editions have provided security and electronic warfare systems, fighter aircraft, armored
to exhibitors. Agreements worth over USD 32 vehicles, main battle tanks, and early warning radar systems.

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