At this year’s event, the UAE is balancing friendly relations with the United States as well as with China and Russia, including via the BRICS alliance.
Companies from China, Russia the United States are taking part in the Dubai Airshow, demonstrating the UAE’s geopolitical significance amid a rise in conflict in the region.
The week-long airshow began on Monday and concludes on Friday. Following is a look at some of the major participants.
China
Numerous Chinese companies specializing in technology, machinery, data systems and more are in Dubai. The Chinese firms include drone maker Autel Robotics, the state-owned China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation and machinery manufacturer Hanstar Technologies Co., Ltd., according to the Dubai Airshow website.
Chinese pilots flew J-10 fighter jets as part of Monday’s kickoff events. The South China Morning Post reported last week that the People’s Republic is hoping to sell the F-16 competitor at the airshow.
Tactical Report, a defense news outlet, reported in May that Egypt had shown interest in the J-10, but no deal had come to fruition.
Russia
The defense conglomerate Rostec, the air defense firm Almaz-Antey, the aerospace company United Aircraft Corporation and the state space corporation Roscosmos are among the Russian firms taking part in the Dubai Airshow, according to the event’s website.
The Russian delegation is headed by Denis Manturov, deputy prime minister and minister of industry and trade. More than 250 Russian products were scheduled for display, including the Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane, BAS-220 helicopter drones and various other aircraft, missiles and air defense systems, according to a Kremlin statement.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that Russian firms have a low profile at the show, with shops set up away from the main pavilion. Russian firms have had a more visible presence at past shows, according to Reuters, which linked the change to the UAE’s efforts to balance relations between the West and Russia.
India
Private and state-owned Indian entities at the airshow include the budget airline Air India Express, the government’s Defense Research and Development Organization, the Indian-Russian multinational BrahMos Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, per the airshow website.
Brazil
The Brazilian firms in attendance include the Brazilian Space Agency, missile manufacturer SIATT, defense engineering company Jandaya Solutions, and the aviation maintenance firm Recominte, according to the official website.
United States
Dozens of American companies are participating in the airshow, including industry giants Raytheon and Collins Aerospace. Boeing made some major deals early on, announcing orders from Emirates and flydubai on Monday totaling $63 billion.
France
Dassault Aviation, the maker of France’s Rafaele fighter jet, and the France-based aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus are among the French firms in attendance, per the airshow’s website.
The UAE ordered 80 Rafaeles in 2021 in a $19.20 billion deal. Last month, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu told reporters that Saudi Arabia was in talks to purchase the aircraft, Agence France-Presse reported at the time.
On Thursday, Airbus announced that Emirates ordered an additional 15 aircraft at the airshow.
Why it matters: The UAE has balanced its relations with global rivals and shied away from taking a strong position on the war Ukraine while strengthening relations with China despite American concerns. This makes it unsurprising that Chinese, Russian and US entities were all well represented at the airshow.
The participation of Brazilian, Chinese, Indian and Russian companies follows the UAE being offered membership in the BRICS alliance in August. The Emirati state-opened EDGE Group acquired the Brazilian SIATT the following September.
Know more: Regional firms also had a presence at the airshow, including Emirates’ competitors Riyadh Air and Qatar Airways. Israel’s appearance has attracted significant media attention. Reuters reported on Monday that the stands for Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems were empty.
On Tuesday, CNBC reported that representatives of Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems were at the airshow.
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/11/russia-and-china-big-participants-dubai-airshow
