Outdoing US, China makes a splash at Emirati unmanned defense tech show

UMEX 2024 — At one booth a large, sleek unmanned helicopter sits with folded rotors, as if ready to pounce. At another, different torpedoes are stacked up in the shadow of models aerial drones. More drones, painted in gray camouflage pattern, are lit from underneath yards away.

These are just some of the defense platforms on display by Chinese firms at the Unmanned Systems conference (UMEX) in Abu Dhabi this week, where Chinese companies account for the second largest space by nation, ahead of the US and behind only the host country.

“This is the largest edition since UMEX was launched in 2016, with 11 countries participating for the first time,” said Saeed Al Mansoori, defense exhibitions advisor at ADNEC Group, at the first day of the show conference. “The largest pavilion is the Emirati pavilion, the Chinese pavilion is the second and the American pavilion is the third.”

More than 50 Chinese companies and organizations were listed among the event’s exhibitors this year, compared to just 15 for the US. The UAE featured some 75 entities.

Walking the floor of the conference, it’s hard to miss Beijing’s presence — a chance for firms to show of their wares in a region increasingly feeling the pull of Washington as well as Beijing.

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China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), for instance, displayed a large unmanned helicopter model of AR-2000 at its stand, as well as models of its AR-36 UAV, Wing Loong 10B and Wing Loong- X UAVs, and CS- 300 T target drones among others. CATIC also sealed a deal on the first day of the show for AED23 million ($6.26 million) for counter-drone platforms.

Facing CATIC on the show floor, was Beijing-based Poly Technologies, showing off those aerial drones and torpedoes at their stand, as well as Flightwin  displayed unmanned helicopter equipped with a surveillance package and missiles.

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Another Chinese company, Norinco, had its wares on display under the banner of the Emirati defense distributor International Golden Group, which provides foreign platforms to the Emirati military and was recently acquired by UAE conglomerate EDGE Group. Norinco displayed systems including a range of models of BLUE ARROW missiles and fixed winged UAVs including its BZK-005E MALE (Medium-Altitude Low-Endurance) UAV.

EDGE has made several international plays to expand its global presence, and at the show a senior official said it was open to more opportunities with all firms IGG cooperates with, including those in China. Faisal Al Bannnai, chairman of EDGE’s Board of Directors, told Breaking Defense, his company is interested in “any company on the planet that’s willing to support the UAE.”

Russia With A Slimmed Down Presence

Meanwhile, the presence of Russian firms presence at the show was restricted to just a handful of organizations, including drone maker Zala, which did not display any models and the company’s representatives declined to talk to journalists. Another booth featured a joint project by manufacturers Aeromax and IKAR displaying unmanned helicopter replicas dedicated to security and research and rescue missions.

RODOBORONEXPORT, a state-owned firm and part of Rostec State Corporation, said before the show it would be offering tech transfer for Russian-made unmanned systems, part of an ongoing push for Moscow in the Gulf region.

“The company presents the widest range of products in the segment of unmanned aerial vehicles. ROSOBORONEXPORT has been successfully promoting the Orlan-10E, Orlan-30 and Orion-E reconnaissance/strike UAVs, as well as Kub-E loitering munition, which have substantiated their capabilities in real combat operations,” the company said in a statement. “We are actively working with Russian manufacturers to market drones modernized with regard to feedback from the battlefield, as well as new products.”

According to the company’s statement, it was planning to  make presentations of Russian unmanned systems and to “hold a number of meetings on cooperation in this field with representatives of the United Arab Emirates and other Middle East countries” so reps could talk “about the ample opportunities in the field of industrial cooperation through the local production of drones on the customer’s premises, joint, work on advanced drones, taking into account the serious competence of the Russian side in their development and combat employment.”

Elsewhere at the show, Russia’s ally Belarus put some unmanned ground vehicles coupled with air defense systems and launchers on display.