BAE Systems will showcase future concept design for its UXV Mother Ship at a key exhibition in Qatar.

BAE Systems, one of the world’s premier global defence and aerospace companies, is participating in the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) exhibition in Qatar, the company said in a statement.

Covering the Middle East and North Africa regions, DIMDEX is the first dedicated maritime defence exhibition and conference for the MENA region and runs from March 17-19, 2008.

Held under the patronage of Qatari Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, DIMDEX is hosted by the Qatari Ministry of Defence and represented by the Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF), and is set to become a highly important event on the Qatar MICE calendar, the organisers said in a statement.

BAE Systems will be focusing on the future at DIMDEX, detailing its future concept warship designed to operate in a future battle space which will be dominated by land, sea and air unmanned vehicles, the company said.

The UXV concept ship operates as a mother ship and uses a proven naval hull form which is capable of launching, operating and recovering large numbers of small unmanned vehicles at a given time for extended periods. The platform will provide a permanent base and control centre for the futuristic unmanned land, sea and air vehicles before, during and on completion of their missions, it added.

The 8000-tonne vessel, an evolution of the multi-role warship, is not expected to enter service until post 2020, the company said. – TradeArabia News Service