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Defence exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia: strategic signalling, industrial aspirations, and economic diversification

Author

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  • Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco
  • Kristian P. Alexander

Abstract

Defence exhibitions serve as key platforms for engagement among military officials, defence industry leaders, and policy-makers. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia play central roles, not just as hosts, but as active participants, leveraging these events to advance foreign policy, security, and economic goals. Whilst offering some visibility into military-industrial trends, most arms deals are negotiated bilaterally, limiting the exhibitions’ direct role in defence procurement. Their primary function is symbolic: projecting strategic ambitions, showcasing shifts in defence priorities, and signalling foreign policy realignments. Beyond security, these events also support broader economic diversification strategies. By expanding their Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sectors, both countries aim to drive job creation, attract investment, and foster industrial localisation. Defence exhibitions thus operate less as transactional arms markets and more as instruments of strategic signalling and economic policy, reinforcing the Gulf’s dual-track approach to national security and post-oil economic transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco & Kristian P. Alexander, 2025. "Defence exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia: strategic signalling, industrial aspirations, and economic diversification," Defense & Security Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 646-668, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:cdanxx:v:41:y:2025:i:4:p:646-668
    DOI: 10.1080/14751798.2025.2551380
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