Day 1 –  Sunday 4th February. 

This day is open to VIPs, Official Delegations, Government Entities, Exhibitors and Media. It gives the guests and participants an opportunity to view the Exhibition Halls and exhibitor products, attend Welcome Speech, Defense Forum Conference and watch the displays, in an exclusive and private setting.  

Trade Visitors are welcome from 5th to 8th February. 

Day 1 activities will include:     

Future of Defense Forum – NEW to 2024 

A high-level conference on day 1 (Preview Day), featuring ministerial panel session and high-profile speakers to deliver a thought-provoking forum that discusses the emerging technologies that shape the future of defense.  This anticipated event will feature high in the CEO and senior industry representatives’ calendars and will be invitation only. 

Welcome Speech 

An official Ceremonious will open the second edition of World Defense Show.  The Welcome Speech will highlight the show’s achievements and celebrate this auspicious occasion. 

The Welcome Speech will be followed by military brand processions, aerobatic display teams and a cultural showcase – true Saudi style!  

 

Networking Reception 

At the close of the show on day 1 the networking reception at World Defense Show will deliver another occasion of which this exclusive audience can connect.  Held within the heart of the show, the networking event will offer cuisines from around the world in an informal setting.

A unique platform for exhibitors to Meet the highest-level of international dignitaries and military representatives at World Defense Show throughout the 5 days. Through the Delegations Program, business-to-business and business-to-government connections are due to be forged with delegations from over sixty countries. 

The Official Delegation Program is one of the most important activities for exhibitors. This global platform is designed for high-ranking representatives with buying and influencing power to meet exhibitors, who are looking to showcase and promote technology, nurture and build relationships and create new ones. The first WDS edition saw over 100 delegations from 42 countries and facilitated over 1000 meetings. 

Exhibitors are invited and encouraged to take part in this essential program to maximise business opportunities for your organisation and gain the opportunity to showcase and promote your products and services to decision makers.  Please note that all exhibitors are eligible to participate in World Defense Show’s Delegation program at no charge.  

Contact our team for any questions or to learn more about the Official Delegations Program at [email protected] 

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.

This dedicated hub will form a beehive of activity that will act as an experience for demonstrating existing and future technological innovations.  The Future of Defense Hub will be made up of three core activities that will be running across all days of the show: 

R&D Hub – showcasing Universities and Research & Development Centres who will be conceptualizing the future. 

Innovation Hub – Meet the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.  This exhibition will feature start-up entities displaying the next stage in the evolution of defense technology. 

The Auditorium – A dedicated amphitheatre including presentations, panel discussions and funding pitching sessions for investors. 

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.

The evolution in the uses of space and rapid advances in space technology create ongoing new collaborations and opportunities.  World Defense Show Space Hub brings a whole new level of intelligent technology as we bring together the world’s space community in one focused area to demonstrate extensive capabilities. 

The Space Hub will highlight the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to deliver policies, develop technologies and implement a national space strategy for the sector. The hub aim to attract global government agencies and related parties to collaborate on common goals on space global aspirations.   

The new show features will shine a light on the vision of space science and technologies and the role it plays within the defense sector. 

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.

B2B connect at WDS delivers a ‘real’ opportunity for qualified and credible suppliers to connect with global suppliers and official delegations.   The one-on-one meetings present the chance to build new and lasting prospects and establish business leads. 

A sophisticated match-making system will pre-arrange meetings to ensure buyers and suppliers are connected efficiently and on the basis of shared interests. 

The Meet the Buyer Program (now B2B Connect) was a huge success at the first edition in 2022.  Held over two days, the program connected 849 suppliers with 40 buyers with 1,121 meetings across 2 days. 

B2B Connect at WDS 2024 is expanding to a 3-day program to meet the high demand.   B2B Connect is a free of charge program and Exhibitors will receive priority to participate. 

Running from 5-7th February 2024, B2B Connect will reinforce WDS as an optimal meeting environment for the defense industry.  

TWO TILES: 

91% of participants rated their overall experience as either excellent or good 

70% of participants had already confirmed their interest in participating in the next edition following the 2022 event. 

QUOTES: 

“Meet the buyer program gave us opportunity to discuss USD 20m deal in Saudi Arabia.  This is one of the best defense focused events in the world.” 

“The meet the Buyer Event has been exceptional.  The number of people we have had the opportunity to meet, that we wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet just walking the show, has given us real purpose and focus.” 

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.

The Content program will provide an interactive platform to discuss, debate, share and collaborate on the initiatives, challenges and opportunities within defense and security. 

The program will present technologies and innovations that will transform defense demonstrating how these are being used to create future military capabilities prepared to tackle current and emerging threats, now and well into the future as well as addressing challenges such as climate change, and the increasing need for skills, pace, agility, adaptability and interoperability in the Future of Defense. 

Held in dedicated theatres across the show floor and the main conference room, the drop -in sessions are open to all attendees and are free to attend. 

 

The Thought-Leadership Sessions, held in 2022 saw 22 Sessions, 136 speakers and 5,000 attendees across the show.  

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.

The Kingdom’s military industries sector focus is localizing more than 50% of military expenditure by 2030, by building a sustainable domestic defense sector, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. This program is developed to introduce exhibitors and visitors to key KSA defense government entities to share the latest developments in procurement guidelines, investment requirements and partnership processes to operate in line with the national defense industry’s overall strategy and objectives.  

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds the key to a national defense ecosystem with significant growth potential. 

Meet the KSA Government Program will include sessions conducted by representatives from: The General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), Ministry of Defense, National Industrial Development and Logistics Program NIDLP, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Investment. 

The session covers a variety of topics including:  

- Transform the Kingdom into a leading global industrial powerhouse and logistics centre: Energy Sector, Industry Sector, Local Content, 4IR, Mining Sector, and the Logistics Sector 

- Military Industry Strategy 

- Military Industry Licensing 

- Industrialization Industrial Participation Program 

- Military Industry Supply Chain 

- Military Industry Marketplace (MIM) 

- Military Acquisition Framework Agreements 

- Why businesses are choosing Saudi Arabia 

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.

As an enabler of Vision 2030’s national workforce development ambition, World Defense Show’s Future Talent Program connects 5,000 + STEM students to career opportunities and apprenticeship programs in the defense sector. 

The program for the 2024 edition is being expanded across 2 days, taking place on days 4 and 5. The program is designed to inform, influence and inspire the next generation of innovators from all backgrounds that have the aspiration, knowledge and skills to thrive, and progress a career in Defense. Working in partnership with academia, industry and government, we will deliver exciting, engaging and educational initiatives that enable interaction with inspirational speakers, industry exhibitors and will provide guidance on the various academic and vocational routes into the sector. This show feature offers young professionals’ valuable advice to progress their careers.  

 

This program is aligned with the Military Industries Human Capital Strategy (MIHC), that aims to build an ecosystem for Defense in the KSA, contributing to the development of Saudi capabilities and raising young people’s engagement and achievement in STEM subjects and careers.

As an enabler of Vision 2030’s national workforce development ambition, World Defense Show’s Future Talent Program connects 5,000 STEM students to career opportunities and apprenticeship programs in the defense sector.

The program is designed to excite, engage and educate students through connecting and interacting with inspirational speakers, industry exhibitors and provide guidance on the various academic and vocational routes into the sector. This show feature offers young professionals’ valuable advice to progress their careers.

This program is aligned with the Military Industries Human Capital Strategy (MIHC), that aims to build an ecosystem for incentivizing cultivation of human capital. Constructed based on the localization strategy for military industry and research in the defense sector, the initiative assures  the readiness of qualified human capital to achieve the targets of the defense sector.

World Defense show 2024 delivers you an experience of manned-unmanned demonstrations to showcase capabilities for future multi-domain operations with the latest evolution of battlefield networks. 

World Defense Show’s Live Display feature will demonstrate advanced military land and air assets from exhibiting companies and government entities. World Defense Show brings the full range of defense technologies across the five domains to audiences, the event also offers a multitude of static display platforms capable of hosting the full spectrum of future defense and security technologies. 

Experience the future of defense each day of the show with impressive advanced flying displays including aerobatic teams fast jets, helicopters, and military cargo.  

Each day will host a unique appealing Demo’s and Displays, featuring : 

1. Land Assets 

1. Autonomous Land Assets (UAV) 

1. Military Aircraft Demonstration 

1. Unmanned Aerials Systems (UAS) 

1. Swarm Technology 

1. Flying Displays (Aerobatic Display Teams) 

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.

As Saudi Arabia continues to open its doors across business and tourism, the show hosts a cultural program to take guests on a captivating journey through the Kingdom’s rich history. 

Creating opportunities for international cultural exchange, activities will offer exhibitors and visitors a chance to experience the local customs and traditions of the Kingdom. Saudi authentic coffee, traditional live music, dance performances, military bands, calligraphy artisans, literature and falconry are some of the experiences to offer a glimpse into Saudi’s heritage. In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Saudi Tourism Authority the program offers guest cultural tours after show hours in Riyadh, and across the kingdom.  We encourage exhibitors and visitors to coordinate ahead o the show to enrich their visitor experience.  

 

To find out more on how you can participate at WDS 2024, please contact our team.