World Defense Show in Riyadh: 85% of Space Allocated

World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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World Defense Show in Riyadh: 85% of Space Allocated

World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The World Defense Show, the global defense and security event to be held in Riyadh, has already allocated 85 percent of its space amid a broad international, global, regional, and local participation of defense and security companies.

Sponsored by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the event is organized by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) and will include leading global defense companies such as Embraer, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, NORINCO, and Rolls Royce.

Several government agencies in the Kingdom, such as the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of National Guard, the Ministry of Interior, the Presidency of State Security, and the General Authority for Military Industries, have confirmed their participation.

GAMI Governor Ahmed al-Ohali indicated that the exhibition provides tremendous opportunities for exhibitors and investors to participate in a market that seeks to localize a vital sector, estimated at billions of dollars in one of the largest economies in the world.

Ohali stressed that the Kingdom welcomes those wishing to establish partnerships with local manufacturers and contribute to the localization of the defense and security industries.

For his part, CEO of World Defense Show Shaun Ormrod announced that with over 800 exhibitors, 30,000 visitors, and 85 military delegations, the World Defense Show would open the local and regional defense industry to partnerships and investments from international defense players.

“This will be the first time the global industry has had such open access to all the opportunities with Saudi defense entities, and we are greatly looking forward to providing the world’s best meeting environment for global industry decision-makers.”

Ormrod stressed that the exhibition’s organizing committee is working to provide an ideal environment to organize meetings between decision-makers in the global defense industry and review the manufacturers’ capabilities and priorities.

The World Defense Show is held every two years and focuses on defense interoperability across air, land, sea, security, and space, which will enable the industry to keep pace with developments across defense and technology.

The speed at which these developments occur compels the industry to cooperate across borders and domain expertise to generate opportunities throughout the defense value chain.

The event has laid the foundations for advancing the defense industry and addressing the challenges of ever-deeper defense systems integration by connecting key defense contacts, primes, SMEs, and buyers.



Israel's Leviathan Gas Field to Resume Operations

FILE PHOTO: An Israeli military ship sails next to the production platform of Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Haifa, northern Israel December 1, 2020. REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An Israeli military ship sails next to the production platform of Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Haifa, northern Israel December 1, 2020. REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg/File Photo
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Israel's Leviathan Gas Field to Resume Operations

FILE PHOTO: An Israeli military ship sails next to the production platform of Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Haifa, northern Israel December 1, 2020. REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An Israeli military ship sails next to the production platform of Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Haifa, northern Israel December 1, 2020. REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg/File Photo

Israel's NewMed said on Wednesday the Leviathan natural gas field that supplies gas to Egypt and Jordan, shut down nearly two weeks ago due to the Iran-Israel conflict, would resume operations in the next few hours.

Two of Israel's three gas fields - Chevron-operated Leviathan and Energean's Karish - off its Mediterranean coast that provide the bulk of exports to Egypt and Jordan have been shut since June 13.

That left in operation only the older Tamar field, used mainly for domestic supplies.

Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday. Israel's Energy Ministry said that after a security assessment, Energy Minister Eli Cohen had ordered the opening of Leviathan and Karish, Reuters reported.

The ministry said resuming regular operations at the rigs will "enable the supply of natural gas to all customers", the resumption of gas exports to neighboring countries, a rise in state tax revenues, and greater flexibility in managing the electricity and industrial sectors.

Leviathan, a deep-sea field with huge deposits, came online at the end of 2019 and produces 12 billion cubic meters of gas per year for sale to Israel, Egypt and Jordan. That will rise to some 14 bcm in 2026.

In addition to Chevron and NewMed, Ratio Energies is also a partner in Leviathan.