UAE unveils $1.36bn in arms deals at Abu Dhabi weapons show

Major arms makers attended a convention in Abu Dhabi hoping to swing deals with militaries across the Middle East.

Major arms makers are attending a weapons show in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, hoping to seal deals with militaries across the Middle East. At the opening, the UAE revealed that it had signed $1.36bn in local and foreign arms deals to supply its forces with everything from South African drones to Serbian artillery. Although the figure surpasses the 2019 show’s opening announcement, defence experts anticipate a drop in military spending this year as the pandemic and slumping global oil prices squeeze budgets in the Gulf region.