Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), has announced the launch of ‘World Defense Show’, an event that will take center stage in the global defense show circuit, offering exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to participate in the kingdom’s first integrated defense show.

Founded by GAMI, World Defense Show is focused on interoperability across air, land, sea, security innovative defense technologies and satellite defense systems. The inaugural event is scheduled to take place between 6th and 9th March 2022 and will then be held biennially in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh.

Speaking at a virtual press conference attended by international defense companies, GAMI’s Governor, His Excellency Ahmad Al Ohali stated: “As technology is accelerating the rate at which the global defense industry is evolving, defense considerations are becoming increasingly complex. There is a need for a platform, which enables the defense community to convene and collectively consider the great opportunities and challenges that are facing us all. This is why we are launching World Defense Show, an innovative platform showcasing, through both live and virtual demonstrations, the possibilities that interoperability can provide across all five defense domains: Air, Land, Sea, Security and Satellite.”

He added, “There is no better place than Saudi Arabia to organize a defense event at this scale. A G20 country, the Kingdom is one of the world’s biggest defense spenders with a strategic location at the center of three continents, making it an ideal hub for defense trade and innovation. Saudi Arabia’s vision to localise 50 per cent of its multi-billion-dollar defense expenditure by 2030 also presents massive opportunities to global industry OEMs and investors.”

GAMI has recruited a team of international experts to run event operations.

Shaun Ormrod, Chief Executive Officer, World Defense Show, said: “Today’s launch of World Defense Show marks an exciting inflection point for the defense industry and a step forward in the ambition and scale of a defense trade show.”