Fir anyone that follows my social you might have seen I was recently playing with tanks and guns at SOFEX 2024. What though is SOFEX, why was I there and is it worth a visit?
I was of course there as is usually the case guiding a tour for Young Pioneer Tours, together with a relatively small 4 other guests. Ironically it seems even those who make money from death are scared to be too close to it……
What the SOFEX 2024?
SOFEX is one of if not the biggest arms fairs in the world, and certainly along with EDEX the biggest in the Middle-East.
Held every 2 years SOFEX 2024 was the first since, you guessed it 2022, which I was also at, with SOFEX 2020 again ironically cancelled due to Covid-19. It was once again held at the tourist Mecca that is Aqaba and for us at least followed on from visiting Petra and there Dead Sea.
SOFEX 2024 was much smaller than in 2022, due to the war next door in Palestine (a point I will deal with later). But if course there were still people there, which begs the question who?
Who was at SOFEX 2024?
SOFEX 2024 saw participation from a diverse range of countries and companies, reaffirming its status as a key event in the global defense industry. Jordan, the host nation, played a prominent role, showcasing its own military advancements alongside contributions from major international players. The United States and the United Kingdom had strong representations, with defense giants like Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems leading the charge.
China was a significant participant, with companies like Norinco exhibiting their latest military technologies, including drones and armored vehicles. European countries such as France and Germany were also well-represented, with Thales Group and Rheinmetall showcasing cutting-edge defense systems.
Israel made its usual impactful appearance, emphasizing its advancements in cybersecurity and unmanned systems, further enhancing its reputation as a leader in military innovation. Middle Eastern nations like the UAE and Saudi Arabia were key participants as well, with local defense companies demonstrating their growing capabilities in the region.
Notably, Russian companies were absent from SOFEX 2024, likely due to international sanctions and geopolitical tensions. This shift allowed other nations to take the spotlight in promoting their defense technologies to the Middle Eastern market. There are though other arms fairs they will no doubt be taking part in…
Turkey had a notable presence, with firms like Aselsan and Roketsan continuing to expand their influence in the global arms market. Asian countries, including South Korea and India, also participated, focusing on aerospace and missile technologies, contributing to the international scope of the event.
What do you do when visit SOFEX 2024?
Of course there will be people that will ask why you would want to visit and Arms Fair, or might claim that it is Dark Tourism, or War Tourism, which it might well be/ In our mind though and much like when we visit places like Fukushima it is for people that are interested in contemporary political issues.
And when it comes to war and the understanding of it this truly is Ground Zero. Here the purveyors of war tell you, as a delegate all about their war toys, of course in the hope you buy some for your own war enterprises.
We of course went the extra mile ourselves by taking part n everything there was to offer, with this including firing both a machine gun and a handgun in a range. Granted this was slightly more controlled than two years before, but hey who doesn’t like bring guns in a war zone….
Why was SOFEX 2024 so empty?
As I have stated previously Jordan in general, as well as the wider Middle-East right now is frankly dead due to the war in Palestine putting people off of travel here.
Now while this is crazy, with Jordan being for all intents safe, I can at least understand why a civilian might balk at traveling. If they you are a purveyor of war I find this massively hypocritical, after all if you are ready to sell weapons, surely you should have the bottle to step into a bit of danger. This though is the sad truth, with people able to be so far removed from what they sell that get to hardly think about it.
Those involved the industry have stated that it should be remembered that they might see themselves as a target, but for me anything this is a bit of a cop out.