Security, Aerospace & Defence
From The Report: Abu Dhabi 2014
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The government has played a key role in the expansion of the security, aerospace and defence industry over the past decade in an effort to strengthen the UAE’s defence capabilities and as a means of boosting economic diversification. The UAE has traditionally purchased the majority of its military hardware and equipment from the world’s largest suppliers; however, this is changing as more local companies enter the industry. By most counts demand for defence-related equipment and services is on the rise, both within the UAE and throughout the broader region, meaning that there is potential for continued growth in the sector in Abu Dhabi. Despite challenges such as high level of regional competition, most local defence and aviation firms expect to see continued expansion going forward.
This chapter contains an interview with Staff Major General Obaid Al Ketbi, Member, Executive Council and Deputy Commander General, Abu Dhabi Police (ADP).

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Strong foundations: Focusing on building a new industry from the ground up
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Over the past decade the emirate’s reputation as a centre for the security, aerospace and defence industry has grown rapidly, both within the Middle East and around the world. The government has played a key role in this expansion, in an effort to strengthen the UAE’s defence capabilities and as a means of boosting economic diversification. Indeed, the development of a domestic aerospace- and defence-focused manufacturing sector is considered to be a key component of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision…

Interview

OBG talks to Staff Major General Obaid Al Ketbi, Former Member, Executive Council, and Former Deputy Commander General, Abu Dhabi Police (ADP)
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Interview:Obaid Al Ketbi, How are advanced technologies contributing to greatly improved safety within the emirate? OBAID AL KETBI: The ADP have invested heavily in technology to facilitate communication, improve traffic and property monitoring, secure key facilities and manage the massive amount of data these new systems generate. The rapid data collection and analysis that these systems enable have led to accurate and timely outcomes and allowed the ADP to stay ahead in identifying potential…

Analysis

Digital defence: Cyber security efforts are taking on greater prominence
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In recent years cyber security has become a key focus in the UAE. “The UAE has vastly improved its fibre network and now ranks as one of the most advanced countries in the world in terms of its network infrastructure,” Khaled Obaid Al Othman Al Ali, CEO of the Al Fahad Group, an Abu Dhabi-based defence and security company, told OBG. As one of the best-connected places in the Middle East, the UAE is at particular risk from electronic attacks and other digital threats, and the government is working…

Analysis

Local impact: Major defence industry conferences bring a host of benefits
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While Abu Dhabi’s rapidly expanding defence industry is primarily focused on manufacturing and supplying equipment for local and international military entities, in recent years it has also become a major contributor to an unexpected sector: tourism. Local hotels and other tourism-related players have benefitted considerably from the numerous international defence and defence-related conferences and exhibitions that take place in the emirate. While the local benefits of these conferences are a…