Today opening of BIDEC 2019 Bahrain International Defense Exhibition in Manama.

Today, October 28, 2019, opening of BIDEC 2019, Bahrain International Defense Exhibition that takes place in Manama from the 28 to 30 October 2019. This is the second edition of the event with a total of 170 exhibitors from 33 countries and 9 national pavilions including the United Kingdom, France, USA, United Arab Emirates,, Pakistan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, India, and South Korea.

Soldiers of Bahrain Defence Force at the front of the local-made Faisal armored vehicle at BIDEC 209, Bahrain International Defense Exhibition in Manama, October 28, 2019. (Picture source Army Recognition)

BIDEC, Bahrain International Defense Exhibition and Conference was launched in 2017, under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and organized by the British Company Clarion Events. The first edition of BIDEC BIDEC was fully supported by the Bahrain Defence Force

For the second edition of BIDEC, many international Defense Companies use the notoriety of this event to showcase the latest defense technologies, military equipment and hardware across land, sea and air. Bahrain Defence Forces are currently upgrading their capabilities and military equipment.

BIDEC 2019, it’s 13,200 square meters of exhibition showcasing military equipment in the fields of Land, Air and Sea. In addition to the exhibition, there are also warships display, shooting demonstrations and sniper & night-vision shooting.

Bahrain has a small but well equipped military force called the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), numbering around 13,000 personnel. The BDF is primarily equipped with United States military equipment, such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-5 Freedom Fighter, UH-60 Blackhawk, M60A3 tanks, and the ex-USS Jack Williams, an Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate renamed the RBNS Sabha.

Bahrain, in conjunction with its GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) partners, has moved to upgrade and modernize its armed forces in response to the threat posed by the Iran-Iraq and Persian Gulf wars. The government spends around $320 million annually on their military.

Recently, the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) has launched new military programs to develop locally armored and tactical vehicles in collaboration with a technical engineer unit responsible for the support and maintenance of military equipment used by the BDF. At BIDEC 2019, new defense products were exhibited for the first time at the Bahrain Defence Force pavilion.