HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and the UAE’s Minister of Defence, has granted his patronage to November’s third biennial Middle East Air Chiefs Conference (MEAC) – the region’s premier conference on air defence capabilities and strategic military operations and intelligence.
An integral part of the Dubai Air Show – which this year celebrates its tenth event – MEAC 2007 will feature a powerful line-up with Major General Mohammed Al-Ghamzi, Commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence Command, delivering the welcome address.
This year’s conference – organised by the international trade magazine Defense News in association with the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA) – will concentrate on the ‘Evolution of Air Power: Superior Defence Operations’, focusing on a wide-range of cutting-edge systems which address the current needs of the Gulf, in line with the growing threat of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Other notable speakers will be General Mosely, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, Chief Marshal Sir Glen Torpy, Chief of Air Staff of the UK’s Royal Air Force, General Staff Pilot Stephen Arball, the French Air Force Commander, and Lt. Gen. Vincenzo Camporini, Commander of the Italian Air Force.
MEAC 2007 will be attended by regional and international air force commanders and VIP military delegations, who are being invited to Dubai 2007, which runs at Airport Expo Dubai from November 11th to 15th, by the Government of Dubai and the UAE’s Ministry of Defence.
“The conference has become a world-class event which is closely monitored by defence officials and industry leaders. This patronage underscores the importance of this event in the continued development of the regional industry,” said Riad Kahwaji, General Manager, INEGMA.
This year’s Dubai Air Show - which is organised by Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E) in conjunction with the Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and in co-operation with the UAE’s Armed Forces – will be the biggest in the event’s history with up to 900 exhibitors from over 40 countries taking part, including 70 new-to-market organisations and first-time representation from the Cayman Islands.
“Air defence continues to be a key element of the Dubai Air Show with the exhibitor line-up suggesting a 50/50 split between defence and civil profiles,” said Alison Weller, Aerospace Director, F&E. “This conference is a superb curtain raiser to the Dubai Air Show and often leads to agenda-setting discussion.
“MEAC is also a great value-add to the Dubai Air Show programme in that its participants, whether speakers or attendees, go on to form powerful delegations to the show giving exhibitors access to a level of decision-maker that it would otherwise be extremely difficult to meet.”
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About Fairs & Exhibitions’ Aerospace Division:
Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E) is one of the most influential names in the aerospace industry’s events sector having conceptualized the Dubai Airshow and organised it, in conjunction with the Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and in collaboration with the UAE Armed Forces, since its inception in 1989. This year marks the 10th anniversary edition of the Dubai Airshow with Dubai 2007 taking place at the Airport Expo in November.
F&E, which maintains offices in London and Dubai, has widespread and long-standing relationships with the global aerospace industry, an in-depth knowledge of the industry it serves and a hard-earned reputation for delivering event excellence.
The company also organises the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) conference and exhibition on behalf of the Middle East Business Aviation Association. MEBA is now a biennial event with the 2008 edition scheduled for November next year.
Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME) is a new event emerging from F&E’s dedicated Aerospace Division. It will be held at the Airport Expo Dubai in June 2008 and will service the region’s rapidly developing commercial and business aviation fleets.
The Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Middle East Exhibition & Conference is the latest event to be added to F&E’s growing portfolio. The event will be organised in conjunction with AVIATION WEEK, which has an excellent track record of organising MRO events. The inaugural event is to be held in the beginning of 2009 to cater to growing regional demand for MRO services.
