On 20 June 2023, the World Defense Show (WDS) team announced that the show is gearing up to host a prominent array of French defence companies in its second edition, scheduled for 4-8 February 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The WDS Team, who are participating at the Paris Air Show from 19-25 June, revealed that booked space for the French pavilion at WDS 2024 has increased by 35% compared to the inaugural event in 2022 and features the major players in the French defence industry including Airbus, MBDA, Naval Group, Nexter, Safran and Thales.
According to WDS Chief Executive Officer Andrew Pearcey, the show has seen substantial increases in the size of country pavilions. “We have seen burgeoning international interest, with increased pavilions from Canada, France, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, and the UAE. The Greek, Chinese, and Indian pavilions have all doubled in size, while the Czech Republic [pavilion] is 145% bigger.”
Bookings have also been boosted by countries who are exhibiting at the World Defense Show for the first time, including Bahrain, Denmark, Kuwait, Oman and Turkey. “The global defense landscape is evolving and the growth in the World Defense Show underscores the international focus on the Saudi Arabian market,” he added.
With the addition of a new third hall, the exhibition space has expanded to 47,000 sqm to meet growing demand. Pearcey said: “Despite this increase, and with more than seven months remaining, we are nearing capacity with 92% of available floor space already sold.”
The exhibition boasts static land and air displays and an engaging daily program. A standout addition for 2024 is the Space Arena. Pearcey elaborated: “The Space Arena, introduced for WDS 2024, forms an integral part of our Journey to the Future showcase. Space is a domain that is critical to national defence strategies.” In conjunction with the Space Arena, the event will feature interactive exhibit areas and a dedicated Space Amphitheater hosting industry experts and panel discussions.
WDS 2024 will showcase the most innovative defence capabilities and technologies from around the world, and will highlight the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strategic ambitions in space, recent achievements and identify future space opportunities for both the Kingdom and its international partners.
ESD Editorial Staff
