Israeli defense technology company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will participate in the 2021 Dubai Air Show on November 14th-18th, marking the company’s first large-scale presence in a global defense exposition in the United Arab Emirates.
Rafael hopes to showcase its aerial defense systems, as well as its satellite intelligence and communications systems, at this year’s expo. Among solutions being presented at the event is their MIC4AD command & control system – which optimizes resource management between defensive systems and is currently deployed by 28 air forces around the world – and SPYDER, a surface-to-air missile system designed to counter attacks by aircraft, helicopters, UAVs and precision-guided munitions.
Their appearance at the event will also emphasize the regional partnership between Israel and the UAE, further reinforced by Rafael’s joint venture with G42, a leading artificial intelligence and cloud computing company based in Abu Dhabi.
Rafael was founded in 1948 as Israel's National R&D (Research & Development) Defense Laboratory for the development of weapons and military technology. It was restructured as a limited company in 2002 due to it's previous lack of profitability. Among Rafael System’s technological advancements is the famed Iron Dome, the world's first air defense system to intercept short-range rockets.
Israel-UAE ties have expanded in technologically-sensitive fields in the year since the 2020 Abraham Accords. For instance, the two countries signed a historic space exploration cooperation agreement at the 2020 Expo Dubai in October and will collaborate on the “Beresheet II” mission destined for the Moon.
The Dubai Air Show is held every two years. Established in 1989, the event is exclusive to members of the industry. The 2019 rendition featured over 84,000 total visitors and was the backdrop for over $54 billion in transactions.