During the Dubai Airshow, Defense Arabia sat down with Mr. Mansour Al-Babtain, one of the key figures shaping the direction and identity of the World Defense Show (WDS), now widely regarded as one of the fastest-growing and most influential defense exhibitions on the global stage.
As the next edition of WDS approaches, excitement is building among industry leaders, government delegations, and exhibitors from around the world.
In this exclusive conversation, Al-Babtain discusses the factors behind WDS’s rapid rise, its alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and the show’s unique role in driving localization, empowering SMEs, and creating meaningful partnerships across the defense ecosystem.
He also sheds light on what truly sets WDS apart, from its innovative industry-driven programs to its strict focus on military domains, and shares a message for companies eager to be part of this expanding global platform.
**DA: Mr. Al-Babtain, thank you for speaking with us ahead of the upcoming show.
Based on the number of exhibitors, participating countries, and the delegations arriving, it appears that WDS has truly reached global-exhibition level. What is the secret behind this rapid success?**
Mansour Al-Babtain: The success of WDS comes from a very clear and consistent message: Saudi Arabia is a place of opportunity, scale, and connection.
This clarity – rooted in Vision 2030 – is what drives interest across every sector, including defense.
For 2026, we are hosting a record number of international exhibitors, across a venue footprint that has expanded by 58% since our first edition.The show floor is effectively fully booked.
Companies who could not secure exhibition space are still encouraged to attend, because the value of WDS is not limited to the stand alone – it is the full ecosystem of programs, networking, and government access.
DA: The alignment with Vision 2030 is crucial, particularly the localization target. How does WDS support national localization efforts?
Mansour Al-Babtain: Localization is not a slogan for us. It is the core reason WDS exists.
Vision 2030 outlines the goal of localizing over 50% of defense spending by 2030, and the sector has now reached the 24.89% milestone, as announced by GAMI.
WDS accelerates this progress in two ways:
1. By attracting major international defense companies that see long-term opportunity in partnering and localizing within the Kingdom.
2. By creating structured pathways for Saudi SMEs to meet primes, investors, and supply-chain partners who are ready to collaborate.
This is where WDS has become a genuine industrial enabler – not just a showcase.
DA: The show clearly goes beyond a traditional trade exhibition. Can you elaborate on the features and programs that distinguish WDS from other global defense shows?
Mansour Al-Babtain:
We focus on programs that strengthen the entire defense ecosystem. Three examples stand out:
1. Meet the KSA Government Program:
This is an important feature of WDS. It enables direct, pre-scheduled meetings between Saudi government entities and companies – both international and local.
Entities share their capability development plans, future procurement priorities, and localization pathways. This allows companies to understand where they can contribute and which supply-chain areas require support.
2. Support for SMEs through the Saudi Supply Chain Zone:
This zone is designed specifically to connect Saudi SMEs and startups with global primes, procurement teams, and investors. It is not a generic SME program – it is a targeted platform for suppliers who want to integrate into defense value chains.
3. Future Defense Lab:
The Future Defense Lab is one of WDS’s most innovative features, designed to showcase how next-generation technologies are transforming the defense landscape. Through immersive demonstrations, interactive simulations, and live technology showcases, the Lab enables exhibitors to present advancements in AI, robotics, cyber, autonomous systems, data fusion, and next-generation command-and-control environments. It offers attendees a forward-looking view of how emerging technologies support future operations and decision-making, while giving companies a platform to demonstrate practical applications and technology integration in a rapidly evolving defense landscape.
DA: With so many aerospace and technology exhibitions globally, how do you define the precise focus of WDS?
Mansour Al-Babtain:
WDS is a dedicated defense show, with a focus across the full spectrum of defense domains – air, land, sea, space, security, cyber, and integrated technologies. In the aviation domain, our emphasis is entirely on defense aviation rather than civil aviation.
Given the sensitive nature of the sector, even general visitors undergo vetting, and our security protocols are significantly more stringent than those applied in commercial exhibitions.
DA: With 99% of space sold out, what is your message to companies that may have missed the opportunity to exhibit?
Mansour Al-Babtain:
Even if exhibition space is no longer available, we strongly encourage companies to attend.
WDS is an ecosystem – its value is in the partnerships, the programs, and the access.
Features such as the Meet the KSA Government Program, the Future Defense Lab, and the Saudi Supply Chain Zone are designed to facilitate connections and long-term collaboration.
There is tremendous development happening in the Kingdom. Companies that join us – whether as exhibitors or as visitors – will clearly see the scale of opportunity.
Be the first to comment