Daily news - Day 1
Sure-fire success
The President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will today inaugurate the eighth International Defence Exhibition, against the background of impressive growth, new management and a state-of the art exhibition centre built in record time.
18 February, 2007
UAE’s vital role in war against terror
The well-attended fourth Gulf Defence Conference, the now traditional curtain raiser for IDEX, brought together military experts from Europe and the US to project their views on the security issues that affect the world, and the Middle East region in particular.
18 February, 2007
Fast track to new exhibition centre
Visitors to this year’s IDEX may be forgiven for thinking that they have arrived at the wrong venue, but the transformation of the site is quite staggering. In place of the semi-permanent individual halls there stands the brand new, futuristic looking Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
18 February, 2007
Fuchs 2 NBC arrive in Gulf
Just two years after the order was placed with German company Rheinmetall Landsysteme, a Gulf state has taken delivery of the first Fuchs 2 (6x6) NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) RS (Reconnaissance Systems) vehicles. The contract covered the supply of a significant quantity of Fuchs 2 NBC RS vehicles plus a complete training and support package.
18 February, 2007
Chemring
Search and rescue leaders join forces Signature Industries has agreed to purchase the Chemring Group’s subsidiary, McMurdo Marine, based in the UK. Signature’s SARBE division and McMurdo are to combine to create the world’s largest supplier of satellite communication survival radios for the military aviation and maritime markets.
Both companies have a long history of supplying safety critical survival radio products. SARBE is a world leader in the military survival radio sector and McMurdo holds a similar position in the maritime industry.
18 February, 2007
Royal Bahraini Air Force
Bahrain receives finalbatch of Hawk trainers BAE Systems (Stand OD140) has completed delivery of the final batch of Hawk advanced jet trainers to the Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF). The aircraft, which form part of an integrated equipment, support and training package, have joined the previous Hawks delivered in 2006.
“The delivery of the final aircraft marks a significant step forward,” said BAE Systems’ programme director Mark Greenhalgh. “This final batch has played an integral part in the delivery of an integrated training solution to the Royal Bahraini Air Force, which has seen BAE Systems help to create an air training wing that will train new recruits who will go on to fly frontline aircraft such as the F-16.”
18 February, 2007
Interceptor USV takes bow
Lifting the veil on the Interceptor Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) at IDEX 2007, AAI Corporation (Stand 3000 in the US Pavilion) and Marine Robotic Vessels International (MRVI) are setting their sights on the emerging market for unmanned maritime security systems in the Middle East region.
18 February, 2007
Oman order underlines VT pedigree
VT Shipbuilding (Stand 2015, UK Pavilion) has reaffirmed its strong presence in the Gulf region by last month securing a £400m contract to build three new helicopter-capable Ocean Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO).
18 February, 2007
Leap in speed
Following the release of the flight control software for the Alenia Aermacchi M-346, the second prototype (X616) of this twin-engined advanced and lead-in jet fighter trainer was tested to explore a considerable extension of the aircraft’s flight envelope.
18 February, 2007
VBL Ingwe tank destroyer revealed
One of the new weapon systems being shown for the first time at the International Golden Group (Stand OD430) is the French Panhard General Defense VBL (Véhicule Blinde Leger) (4x4) reconnaissance vehicle fitted with a new South African Denel Aerospace Systems Armed Long Range Reconnaissance Turret (ALRRT).
18 February, 2007