French Defense Industry latest innovations and technologies at SOFEX 2018.

French defense industry at SOFEX 2018, the Special Forces Operations exhibition in Jordan, under the umbrella of the GICAT, a professional group representing the industrial defense and security sectors supplying military equipment to the French Land forces and exports Land and Air land equipment all over the world.

The French Defense and Security booth at SOFEX 2018, Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference. May 10, 2018. (Picture source Army Recognition)

During SOFEX 2018, the French Defense and Security Industry with more than 15 Companies has presented a full range of military and security equipment during the International Special Forces Operations Exhibition which was held in Amman (Jordan) from 8 to 11 May 2018. The Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX) is a special operations and homeland security event that is held every two years at the King Abdullah I airbase in Marka, Jordan.

With more than 240 members in 2018, the goal of the GICAT is to promote the French Defense and Security Industry at the worldwide level. These companies, which have a diverse range of activities (industrial contractors, consultancy and service providers, as well as clusters and research institutes), offer the full range of skill and know-how adapted to the operational requirements of the land and Air-land Defence and Security sector.

In a report by the French Ministry of Defence (MoD) to the country’s parliament on 7 July 2017, export orders reached almost EUR13.94 billion (USD15.88 billion) in 2016, representing a decline of 17.6% on 2015’s EUR16.93 billion.

France is characterized by an extremely sophisticated and competitive defense industry, which includes global players such as Thales, Airbus Group Defence & Space, Dassault, the Safran Group, DCNS, MBDA, and Nexter.

At SOFEX 2018, the French defense industry has presented latest innovations and technologies of defense products especially designed and manufactured for Special Forces and SWAT team. France has one of the strongest defense industries in the world and satisfies the majority of its military requirements on its own. It competes with the US, the UK, Russia and China in the development of advanced military hardware.