Jordan Times
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
SOFEX 2004 opens today
By Khalid Dalal
AMMAN — The Special Operation Forces Exhibition, SOFEX 2004, will open today
featuring a wide range of world-class military weapons and equipment.
“Around 200 international companies from 32 Arab and foreign countries will take
part in the three-day exhibition which will be held at King Abdullah Airbase in
Marka Airport,” Colonel Mohammad Raqqad, the exhibition's spokesperson, said
during a press conference yesterday.
The exhibition will display the latest state-of-the-art equipment and combat
service support systems used by special forces and quick reaction forces along
with other military equipment including surveillance devices, communications
systems, military vehicles and aircraft. Land navigation systems and
peacekeeping equipment will also be on display.
Live demonstrations and air shows featuring a wide range of tactical manoeuvres
and mobility will be staged during the event.
According to a Jordan Armed Forces' Directorate of Morale Guidance press
release, SOFEX 2004 is the fifth exhibition of its kind organised by the Jordan
Armed Forces represented by the Exhibitions Organisations Commission in
collaboration with the General Institute for Exhibitions in the United Arab
Emirates.
Past exhibitions include the Contingent and Operational Procurement Exhibition (COPEX)
in 1996, COPEX 1998, SOFEX 2000 and SOFEX 2002.
“Holding SOFEX once every two years contributes to developing the skills of the
Jordan Armed Forces and the country's police forces,” said Raqqad.
Among the major countries participating in the exhibition are Australia,
Bahrain, Britain, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, Spain, the UAE, UK and the US.
The British delegation to the exhibition is led by Lord Bach, minister for
defence procurement, according to a British embassy statement released
yesterday. A significant number of UK companies are represented at SOFEX 2004
such as BAE Systems, the leading defence company in the UK and the fourth
largest in the world.
Several other global military firms specialised in military equipment
manufacturing are also taking part in the exhibition.
Agence France-Presse reported that firms represented in the exhibition would
also include Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Smith and Wesson and Boeing.
His Majesty King Abdullah, Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces, will
act as patron at the inauguration. Yesterday the King opened a conference on
“The Role of Special Forces in Modern War and National Defence.”
During the conference, His Majesty highlighted the key role played by the
Special Forces in protecting their countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra,
reported.
“Their important role has increased in the past few years and will continue
increasing in the foreseeable future,” the King said.
His Majesty also stressed the need to invest in upgrading the Special Forces'
skills and equipment to enable them to face current and future threats.
On the sidelines of the conference, the King met with French Defence Minister
Michele Alliot-Marie as well as with a number of senior military personnel from
Arab and foreign countries and discussed with them bilateral cooperation in the
military field.
Commander of the Kingdom's Special Operations Forces, Brigadier General Ahmad
Faqih, was quoted by Petra as saying that His Majesty's continuous support for
special forces has not only enabled them to do their job in protecting the
country, but also in maintaining peace at regional and international levels
through effectively participating in UN peacekeeping missions.