It is more of a repositioning rather than a withdrawal and “does not reflect any political orientation similar to the one to withdraw troops from Afghanistan,” strategic expert and political researcher Abdullah Al Jenaid tells Breaking Defense.
Over the next few years, attacks against critical infrastructure will continue to be a primary concern as industries figure out the best way to defend against threat actors.
Unlike previous conferences designed to provide training, weapons or military hardware, the meeting was centered on finding ways to bolster the cohesion, resilience, and stability of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
BEIRUT: Egypt’s latest agreement to buy 30 new Rafale jets will open prospects for other arms deals with France, experts tell Breaking Defense. “As part of the same agreement, Egypt will probably acquire additional military equipment including FalconEye observation satellite and A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft manufactured by Airbus,” military researcher and defense analyst…
The deal reinforces the company’s commitment to developing a sustainable knowledge and innovation-based economy in line with the UAE’s Vision 2030, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ship Building told Breaking Defense.
Egyptian sources tell Breaking Defense that this may not be the last Rafale purchase. Egypt is now eying the Rafale F4. “We are looking to increase the (overall) number to 72 or 100 units, depending on Egypt’s financial capacity.”
“The Saudis might be demonstrating that they can go to other sources and solutions for air defense through building on the worsening of US-Turkish relations, at the heart of which is US unhappiness over Turkish acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system,” Yezid Sayegh, senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center, says.
“The U.S. continues to systematically state its commitment to the defense of Saudi Arabia so I don’t think arms transfers in general will completely stop,” Yasmine Farouk, Middle East expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says.
Gulf countries must build a centralized command center linked to sub-command centers spread across all countries and able to share and receive data in a synchronized real time way, says Mohamed Al-Kenany, military researcher and defense analyst at the Arab Forum for Policy Analysis in Cairo.
Strategic relations between the US and UAE remain clear and stable. “We may sometimes disagree, but the UAE will not yield to any decision that contradicts its vision and plans,” retired Staff Maj. Gen. Abdullah A.Al Hashmi told me in an interview. “We have our own plans and strategies, and the US is interested in preserving the relations with the Gulf states.”
“This edition has been nothing short of exceptional,” Maj. Gen. Staff Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee, which “enables our nation to cultivate and expand our defense infrastructure and technological systems, using them to ensure security and peace across the Mideast.”
When asked what the US and other allies can do to better support SAMI with its military expansion, CEO of SAMI said the strategy is to keep working with the best to build the know-how, grow together in the Kingdom and deliver customers’ requirements.
“As the work progressed, we were able to digitize the time-consuming process of inspecting aircraft manually and delivered a real-world solution that drives significant time and cost savings as a result,” Hala Alzargani, with Lockheed Martin, explained.
