Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman has officially inaugurated the World Defense Show 2026. The event is being organized in Mulham near Riyadh. The Defense Minister, on behalf of King Salman, launched this third edition on Sunday, which will run till February 12. In this, modern weapons and defense technologies from around the world are being displayed.
What is special in the show and where is the event taking place?
For this big event, a special place has been prepared in Mulham, about 70 kilometers from Riyadh. The biggest attraction at this 800,000 square meter site is a dedicated runway of 2,700 meters. This runway is being used for live demonstrations of airplanes. Apart from this, a separate area has also been created for the display of ground weapons where armored vehicles are showing their strength.
Which countries and companies are taking part?
More than 925 companies (Exhibitors) from 80 countries around the world are participating in this World Defense Show. This includes big companies like Türkiye’s Baykar and Aselsan along with Russia’s Rostec and many Western defense companies. Many new things have been announced on the very first day of the show:
SAMI Land: has launched two new armored vehicles named HEET 4×4 and HEET 8×8.
ERAF Industrial: Has introduced Tares III armored vehicles.
Rostek: has presented a robotic rescue boat named R-SAVER-1 to the world.
Rules and entry information
This show is only for defense people, government officials and industry delegates, which is called ‘Trade-Only’ event. Registration is mandatory to participate in this. Wearing of badges is required at all times while inside the show and safety rules are strictly followed. Somalia’s Defense Minister was also present during the inauguration and it is expected that defense agreements will be signed between many countries during this period.
