The four-day International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) kicked off yesterday in Abu Dhabi with the United Arab Emirates announcing 21 deals worth more than $1.2bn. IDEX spokesman Brigadier-General Rashid Mohamed al-Shamsi told reporters the UAE struck deals with 15 local companies and six international firms to bolster its land and naval forces. The UAE is a key partner in the coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after Houthi rebels stormed the capital Sanaa and advanced on second city Aden. It is also seen as an important regional ally in the US-led coalition’s fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
