RIYADH: Organizers of Saudi Arabia’s World Defense Show have announced an expanded exhibition area with several new sections for its third edition, which will be held in February 2026.
An additional hall will increase floor space to a total of 273,000 square meters, more than 58 percent larger than the first edition in 2022, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
More than 65 percent of the exhibition space is already sold out, according to the report.
The next edition will be held under the theme “The Future of Defense Integration,” showcasing the latest technology in air, land, sea, and space.
Organized by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries, the event is a key part of the Kingdom’s ambition to localize 50 percent of its defense spending by 2030.
The next edition will be the most successful yet, said the event’s CEO Andrew Percy, as reported by SPA.
There will be more local and international participation, and the exhibition will focus more closely on technology including unmanned and marine defense systems.
New programs in the upcoming edition will include a defense and security industry lab, and an exhibition of future technologies.
A Saudi supply chain zone will allow local small and medium-sized enterprises to network with key players in global supply chains.
Positive feedback from the last two editions exceeded expectations, Percy said, allowing organizers to set new ambitious goals for this upcoming event.
The World Defense Show was first held in 2022 on the outskirts of the Saudi capital Riyadh.
It attracted 600 exhibitors from 42 countries, 82 military and defense delegations, and 65 thousand visitors from 85 countries, according to GAMI.
The second edition in 2024 saw over 106,000 people attend, with 441 delegations from 116 countries.
A total of 61 purchase contracts worth SR26 billion ($6.9 billion) were signed, according to GAMI.
