FARNBOROUGH, ENGLAND // The world’s biggest makers of warplanes, missiles and drones invade the normally tranquil English suburban town of Farnborough once every two years.
But this year executives from the big global arms makers are especially upbeat as conflicts from Ukraine to Iraq boost defence budgets and spur military spending.
That was underscored by an US$11 billion deal struck between the US and Qatar to provide the Gulf state with Apache attack helicopters as well as Patriot and Javelin defence systems. The Pentagon said the contract would help to improve bilateral military cooperation with Qatar.
“This is a critically important relationship in the region,” said the Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby.
The deal was signed in the US on Monday with Qatar’s defence minister, Hamad bin Ali Al Attiyah.
At the same time, across the Atlantic in the normally sleepy Hampshire town, delegations from other Gulf states were also in discussions with arms sellers amid a backdrop of rising tensions across the Middle East that is encouraging greater cooperation between Gulf states against external threats.
“This is a unique time,” said Dan Crowley, the president of integrated defence systems at Raytheon, who took a leading role in the Qatar contract. “We haven’t seen so many countries invest in missile defence simultaneously. The level of activity is very high.”
After a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, US defence contractors are increasingly looking to export markets to fill the void left by an expected sharp decline in military spending at home.
Sprawled across the old airfields that were once the domain of Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain are the bustling marquees of companies with combined turnovers that run into the hundreds of billions of dollars.
As fighter jets roar overhead, middle-aged men in suits line up to squeeze themselves into the cockpit of the F35 Lightning and have their pictures taken.
The F35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter was expected to be the big draw of the show before being ordered to cease flying after an engine fire last month. Yesterday US authorities released the aircraft from the grounding order on a temporary basis, boosting hopes that it would make it to Farnborough after all.
Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, BAE Systems and the other big names of the global defence industry are all here – all with their own armies of slick salesmen to impress visiting government delegations that include those of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Some of these companies are sharing the spoils of the huge Qatar deal.
Like the flags on the Farnborough runway, the event is a good indicator of which way the wind is blowing for the global defence industry.
Raytheon won a $2bn chunk of the Qatar order to supply Patriot missile systems and is hopeful of further extending its partnership with the country.
Mr Crowley also expects to see more collaboration between the six Gulf states in defending their air space.
The GCC is already contracted with ThalesRaytheonSystems to provide its Hizam Al Taawun (Hat II) system that can coordinate air defences.
“The GCC is increasingly thinking and acting as one,” he says.
scronin@thenational.ae
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