The rehearsal for the grand opening of IDEX 2015, an international defence exhibition and conference, will commence next week, according to top officials at a recent meeting.

Major General Dr Obaid Al Ketbi, chairman of the Organising Committee for IDEX 2015, led the meeting of the commission which was attended by Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Adnec acting group chief executive officer, Saleh Al Marzooqi, CEO IDEX as well as representatives of local and federal authorities and UAE Armed Forces GHQ.

The rehearsal will witness a planned showcase and movement of contingents from the various wings of the UAE Armed Forces, jets and helicopters among other equipment.  

It will span across Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, where the IDEX is to be held from February 22 to 26 and the Arabian Gulf Street.

“These rehearsals are a key part of IDEX. With every edition of IDEX we work towards effectively showcasing our cadets and armed forces to inculcate a sense of pride amongst our people. The rehearsal undoubtedly ensures that the team is at its highest level of readiness, delivering to the promise IDEX offers to all visitors and stakeholders,” said Dr Al Ketbi.

The committee meeting comes within the framework of several regular preparatory meetings taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) to discuss key preparatory activities for the grand opening ceremony and the conference agenda for IDEX 2015.

IDEX provides access to the innovative and cutting edge technology that is defining the modern defence industry. Its success can also be attributed to its contribution to the national economy - especially given the role it plays in attracting global investors in defence and security to the UAE.

The knowledge-based platform created by IDEX, NAVDEX and UMEX is central to the developing the infrastructure necessary for regional security and long may this continue.

UMEX, which will be held for the first time alongside IDEX 2015 will provide a platform showcasing the latest innovations in the defence industry particularly in the unmanned defence systems space and is an area of key focus globally.

It will, for the first time, showcase a live demonstration of unmanned systems and vehicles in the Middle East and Africa region. The live demonstration during the opening ceremony will be held at ‘Tarif’ in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi.

This year, IDEX is set to build on the successes and momentum achieved during the last years. Running alongside the exhibition is IDEX Defence Conferences, the official conferences of IDEX is a unique platform to establish and strengthen relationships with government departments, businesses and armed forces throughout the region.

IDEX Defence Conferences unites defence ministers, chiefs of staff, senior commanders from the UAE Armed Forces, government officials, senior decision makers and other commanding officers from international militaries.

The attendance includes armed services sectors, including army, navy, coast guard, marine, air force and police force.

The conference will bring together key decision makers from government, military and the defence industry, giving participants the opportunity to discuss the biggest challenges the industry is facing and potential solutions.

During the IDEX Defence Conference and two-day Naval Defence and Unmanned Systems Conferences, high level participants will take a deep dive into the core issues of strategic importance to the defence industry through dedicated panels and strategy sessions. - TradeArabia News Service