The sights of IDEX 2023 Day 1 [PHOTOS]

230220_idex_day1_catwalk — An elevated view of the vast walkways lined with defense advertisements at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

IDEX 2023 — Monday officially kicked off the start of the IDEX 2023 defense conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Hundreds of companies from dozens of countries around the world are in attendance, hawking the latest technology and weapons systems.

Breaking Defense is on the ground at the show, keeping readers up to date with the latest news. But if you’re in the mood for just a taste of what it’s like to be here, below are some select photographs from the never-ending show floor.

230220_idex_day1_airbus_models — At its exhibit at IDEX 2023, Airbus shows off models of its transport aircraft. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

230220_idex_day1_calidus_drone — A unmanned aerial system from the UAE-based Calidus defense firm on display at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

230220_idex_day1_otokar_vehicle — An armored vehicle produced by Otokar Defence, a Turkish defense firm, sits on the show floor at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

230220_idex_day1_milkor_drone — South African firm Milkor displays a UAV offering at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

230220_idex_day1_kai_fa50 — South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries shows off a model of its FA-50 fighter jet at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

230220_idex_day1_elbit_soldier — A soldier, decked out with cameras, stands in front of Elbit Systems UAE, an arm of the Israeli firm, at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

230220_idex_day1_uav_naval_drone — Houbara, which makes this UAV, is a joint venture between UK-based QinetiQ and UAE-based MGE to make aerial and maritime targets. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

230220_idex_day1_uzbekistan_vehicle — At an exhibit for Uzbekistan shows the QALQON armored vehicle. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

PHOTOS: IDEX 2023

PHOTOS: IDEX 2023

Armaments are on display at the Chine Defence booth at NAVDEX 2023, IDEX's sister show. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

Just yards from the Rusian pavilion, an American soldier shows a spectator how to aim a Javelin at IDEX 2023. (Ashley Roque / Breaking Defense)

The UAE firm Milanion makes this small, eight-wheeled mobile launcher, on display at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

A model of a mobile missile launcher is on display at China's Norinco booth at IDEX 2023.

Protective gear, seen here by UAE firm Ajwa, is also a popular item for some of the smaller defense contractors in attendance at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

An unmanned large helicopter is among the many displays for the UAE defense conglomerate EDGE Group at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

As part of its high-energy laser pitch to international customers at IDEX 2023, Lockheed Martin displayed this quad-copter apparently taken out by a laser weapon. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

A shoulder-fired weapon, called Red Arrow, on display at the booth for the Chinese firm Norinco at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

A warship built by Albwardy Damen, a joint venture between Albwardy Investment, Dubai and the Damen Shipyards Group, the Netherlands, floats calmly at NAVDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

At IDEX 2023, an Egytpian firm debuts what it says is a C5ISR platform that can talk to both eastern and western systems. (Agnes Helou / Breaking Defense)

Collins Aerospace unveiled a new drone design at IDEX 2023. (Agnes Helou / Breaking Defense)

EDGE Group, a large Emerati defense conglomerate, shows an intimidating unmanned aerial vehicle in a prime spot on the show floor at IDEX 2023. (Agnes Helou / Breaking Defense)

Abu Dhabi's own Blue Cat boat sits on display near, but not in, the water at NAVDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

French firm Nexter showed out at IDEX 2023, including showing a handful of its mobile artillery options. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

A spectator checks out a sniper rifle at the EDGE pavilion at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)

Turkish Aerospace's Anka drone, spotted here at IDEX 2023, can fly for 30-plus hours at around 20,000 feet, the company says. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)