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Meanwhile, the business of war
continues
By David Isenberg
A few
years ago, Deep Space Nine, a spin-off television series
of Star Trek was popular. Among other things, it
featured a race of beings called the Ferengi, who were
ruthless profit-seekers. To that end they codified a
list of principles known as the Rules of Acquisition.
Rules 34 and 35 stated that war is good for business and
that peace is good for business, respectively.
These rules come to mind now that the United
States has launched its long-anticipated invasion of
Iraq, at the same time that the biennial International
Defense Exhibition (IDEX) 2003, the Middle East's
largest military show, is taking place in Abu Dhabi, one
of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates.
Ironically, the five-day event was due to end on
Thursday, the day that the US began its attack on Iraq.
Some 850 companies and around 45,000 visitors
including heads of state, defense ministers, military
delegates, diplomats and industry officials were present
for the sixth holding of IDEX. While 37 countries have
national pavilions, four countries - Malaysia, Romania,
South Korea and Thailand - make their debut. This year's
exhibition has seen an almost 35 percent increase in
participation.
Despite the war not too far to
the north, everyone seems focused on business as usual,
putting aside the fact that war is the usual business of
their trade. For example, last week the embassy in Abu
Dhabi said that the US government would take part
despite Washington advising US citizens not to travel to
the United Arab Emirates. The US army is exhibiting army
combat and support systems, while 28 American firms are
busy showing off products ranging from guns to footwear
and ready-to-eat meals at the US pavilion.
Likewise, the British, the only real partner to
the US in the invasion of Iraq, are well represented.
Adam Thomas, spokesman for the British government's
Defense Export Services Organization, which is
responsible for promoting and licensing the export of
British military equipment, said that IDEX 2003 had so
far been a "very successful" show.
Perhaps
future profits merit a little risk. According to an
interview with Associated Press, Paul Beaver, a
spokesman for the Jane's Group of analysis and
defense-oriented publications, said that Beaver
commented that Middle East countries were expected to
spend US$10 billion a year for the next five years on
arms, and that outside the US only the Asia-Pacific
region was expected to spend more, weighing in with
US$76 billion worth of purchases over the same period by
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and India.
French
Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie even put in an
appearance. That might be because one of the contracts
expected to be announced at IDEX is a $776 million one
for six Corvette warships to be built jointly by Abu
Dhabi Shipbuilding and France's Constructions Mecaniques
de Normandie.
Despite French deals, the
prospects remain bright for many US firms, and may
improve if the war goes well, as is expected. Northrop
Grumman is hoping to clinch a contract for five of its
E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.
According to Boeing, the United Arab Emirates is
considering buying Boeing 767 tanker planes for midair
refueling and is looking to upgrade its fleet of 30
Boeing Apache helicopters.
And Raytheon's
Patriot missile air defense systems are in demand by
countries in the region that feel vulnerable to attack
by Iraqi missiles or unmanned aircraft carrying chemical
or biological warheads. Aside from Israel, Patriots have
been deployed or planned for deployment in Jordan,
Turkey and Kuwait.
Eleven companies from the
United Kingdom, Jordan, Italy, Singapore, Belarus,
Russia, Czech, the Republic of Tatarstan and the United
Arab Emirates showed off 17 vehicles in a mobile
demonstration.
Another important part of IDEX is
the 100,000 square-meter live firing range at Maqatra,
an ideal venue for weapons from low caliber guns to
missiles with a range of up to 25 kilometers. Twelve
international companies from South Africa, Croatia,
Russia, Finland, Austria, the US, Kazakhstan, Pakistan
and India have displayed 20 defense systems, such as
armored, tracked and wheeled vehicles and main battle
tanks in the live firing demonstrations.
Naval
systems are not neglected. Located at the naval berthing
area at Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed Port, the naval display
this year include warships of various sizes, from
Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Pakistan,
such as destroyers, aircraft carriers, frigates, command
and control vessels, supply ships and submarines.
While Russia may have opposed the US in the UN
Security Council, it has no problem competing with the
Americans at this show. Some 50 major Russian
enterprises are taking part and Russia has brought over
500 new kinds of arms and military equipment, and hopes
to book further orders as Russian arms are already in
the equipment of armies in the Middle East. For example,
the army of the United Arab Emirates has been using
Russian combat vehicles and antiaircraft missile
complexes for almost 10 years.
One vehicle is
the modernized T-72M1 tank, which shows its
cross-country maneuverability at the exhibition's mobile
demonstration area. Also being demonstrated is the
upgraded version of the BMP-3 infantry-fighting vehicle.
Also on exhibit is the Iskander-E
surface-to-surface missile system; 155 millimeter
Krasnopol system of guided armament designed for
artillery systems of non-Russian production; the Vikhr-M
missile system, modifications of which can be mounted on
helicopters, armored vehicles and warships; the
Khrizantema-S antitank missile system possessing
improved armor-piercing capacities; and new types of
projectiles and warheads of projectiles for multiple
launch rocket systems.
India, represented by a
high-level delegation led by O Rajagopal, the Minister
of State for Defense Production, Supplies and
Parliamentary Affairs, is displaying locally-produced
arms and warships. One of its destroyers, the
INS-Mumbai, is present, as well as a
domestically-manufactured 155 millimeter artillery field
gun.
South Africa, which has a world-class
reputation for its artillery systems, has a high
profile. South African Defense Minister M G P Lekota
said that a defense cooperation agreement between South
Africa and the United Arab Emirates, signed in 1999,
provided for several areas of cooperation, including
defense industries. He said that the event "is the world
debut of South Africa's latest artillery system". Some
20 South African companies are displaying their products
and services.
And, in what has been a
little-noted irony, Jugoimport SDPR, from Belgrade, is
taking part. Jugoimport was in the news late last year
as it was alleged that it had supplied munitions and
weapons parts to Iraq. Jugoimport is exhibiting products
of about 20 special-purpose enterprises from Serbia and
Montenegro.
The European Aeronautic Defense and
Space Company said that it will soon sign a contract
worth nearly $200 million with the United Arab Emirates
for four CASA C-295 maritime patrol and anti-submarine
surveillance planes, according to spokesman Frederic
Aragon.
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