The live displays feature some of the world's most advanced military vehicles. Victor Besa / The National
The live displays feature some of the world's most advanced military vehicles. Victor Besa / The National
The live displays feature some of the world's most advanced military vehicles. Victor Besa / The National
The live displays feature some of the world's most advanced military vehicles. Victor Besa / The National

UAE

Live displays wow crowds at Abu Dhabi defence show

Some of the world's most advanced armoured personnel carriers and combat vehicles on show

The National

February 23, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Live displays at Abu Dhabi's defence fair have showcased the power and capability of some of the world's most advanced military hardware.

Armoured personnel carriers and combat vehicles charged through difficult terrain, while aircraft soared overhead in live demonstrations on Thursday.

The showcase of military power took place at the grandstand of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Many of the world's defence companies had military vehicles on display at the event.

Idex, one of the world's largest defence fair, continues in Abu Dhabi until Friday.

Around 1,350 companies, 350 delegations and scores of military personnel, officials and decision-makers are expected to attend.

the UAE has signed military contracts worth billions of dirhams during the fair.

The country's defence conglomerate Edge also revealed a line-up of 11 new unmanned and autonomous products and systems there.

  • Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, attends the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition, in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Presidential Court
    Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, attends the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition, in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Presidential Court
  • Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Member of Abu Dhabi Executive, views exhibits at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference, in Abu Dhabi. Presidential Court
    Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Member of Abu Dhabi Executive, views exhibits at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference, in Abu Dhabi. Presidential Court
  • An exhibit at the pavilion of UAE defence conglomerate Edge. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An exhibit at the pavilion of UAE defence conglomerate Edge. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Visitors watch a brass band parade through Idex, at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Visitors watch a brass band parade through Idex, at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Defence conglomerate Edge revealed a line-up of 11 new unmanned and autonomous products and systems during the opening day of Idex. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Defence conglomerate Edge revealed a line-up of 11 new unmanned and autonomous products and systems during the opening day of Idex. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A virtual training system from Apricot, which uses an RPG-7 launcher, at ADNEC. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A virtual training system from Apricot, which uses an RPG-7 launcher, at ADNEC. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The UAE's Al Fursan aerobatics team in action. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The UAE's Al Fursan aerobatics team in action. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Exhibits from Indumil, a Colombia-based military weapons manufacturer. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Exhibits from Indumil, a Colombia-based military weapons manufacturer. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Night-vision goggles on show at the EO Systems stand at Idex, held at ADNEC. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Night-vision goggles on show at the EO Systems stand at Idex, held at ADNEC. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Visitors attend Idex, the defence expo, in Abu Dhabi
    Visitors attend Idex, the defence expo, in Abu Dhabi
  • Han Bing peers through the scope of a sniper rifle at the Steyr arms stand
    Han Bing peers through the scope of a sniper rifle at the Steyr arms stand
  • A model of an S-92 Executive helicopter at the Lockheed Martin stand
    A model of an S-92 Executive helicopter at the Lockheed Martin stand
  • Social media personality Marat Sutaev looks at an under-barrel grenade launcher at Idex
    Social media personality Marat Sutaev looks at an under-barrel grenade launcher at Idex
  • Visitors attend the defence expo
    Visitors attend the defence expo
  • Sig Sauer presents its remote weapons station
    Sig Sauer presents its remote weapons station
  • Military uniforms on display
    Military uniforms on display
  • The Zetros 3351 A 6x6 on display at the Mercedes stand
    The Zetros 3351 A 6x6 on display at the Mercedes stand
  • Hafez Jawabreh looks at a Kilinc 2000 Light handgun at the Sarsilmaz stand
    Hafez Jawabreh looks at a Kilinc 2000 Light handgun at the Sarsilmaz stand
  • Mohamed Al Marzooqi looks at ammunition made in the UAE at the Edge stand
    Mohamed Al Marzooqi looks at ammunition made in the UAE at the Edge stand
  • Didier Bonnet looks through a pair of multi-function binoculars made by Safran
    Didier Bonnet looks through a pair of multi-function binoculars made by Safran
  • The MBDA air defence systems stand
    The MBDA air defence systems stand
  • Visitors view a Titan - GT Artillery platform at the Inkas armoured vehicles stand
    Visitors view a Titan - GT Artillery platform at the Inkas armoured vehicles stand
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

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“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

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“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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