Why the Saudi World Defense Show 2026 is becoming one of the world’s biggest military events.

The third World Defense Show will take place in Riyadh from February 8 to February 12, 2026, and features an expanded exhibition area, new technology-focused zones, and increased international participation aligned with Saudi Arabia’s defense industrial localization objectives.

On February 5, 2025, Saudi Arabia confirmed that the World Defense Show 2026 will take place in Riyadh from February 8 to February 12, organized by the General Authority for Military Industries under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The event is expanding in size, exhibitor numbers, and international participation, positioning it among the largest global military and defense exhibitions.
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World Defense Show 2026, expected to host about 925 exhibitors from roughly 80 countries, expanded by 58 percent compared to the 2022 edition to reach around 273,000 square meters, with a fourth exhibition hall added to meet demand. (Picture source: WDS)

More precisely, Saudi Arabia announced that the third World Defense Show (WDS) will take place in Riyadh from February 8 to February 12 under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, with the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) organizing the event. The announcement said the show will bring together official delegations, government entities, and leading international companies active in defense and security. GAMI Governor Ahmad Al-Ohali said the edition will combine live air demonstrations, live land demonstrations, static displays, and newly developed zones intended to expand interaction between Saudi government entities and major national and global defense companies.

He linked the show to the Vision 2030 objective of localizing more than 50% of military spending, and to goals described as higher operational readiness and stronger strategic independence in the defense sector. WDS CEO Andrew Pearcey highlighted the venue’s aviation infrastructure, citing a fully equipped airport with a 2,700 meter runway, four taxiways, and large display areas for aircraft, while the organizers also stated that participation will surpass the previous edition in exhibitor numbers, official delegations, and international engagement. For the 2026 edition, several changes in format and layout were made to go beyond the general promise of demonstrations and static displays.

The exhibition space is described as expanding by 58% over the 2022 edition to reach about 273,000 square meters, including the addition of a fourth hall to meet exhibitor demand, and the inclusion of static exhibits, live demonstrations, and a Content Theater schedule of discussions. New dedicated zones were added for the 2026 edition, namely the Future Defense Lab, the Unmanned Systems Zone, the Naval Zone, and a Saudi Supply Chain Zone, with the stated purpose of structuring participation around emerging technologies, unmanned equipment, maritime defense technology, and supply-chain localization. A further new feature explicitly named is the WDS News Network, producing and distributing interviews and show content during the World Defense Show 2026.

Taken together, these changes present a larger physical footprint, more segmented show areas, and more scheduled activity types running across February 8 to February 12, 2026. 2026 changes also explain how the event is set up to connect Saudi industrial goals with the way exhibitors and delegations interact on site. For instance, the Saudi Supply Chain Zone is a mechanism to connect Saudi small and medium-sized enterprises, startups, and local manufacturers with international defense firms and buyers, and it is explicitly tied to localization objectives within the Saudi Vision 2030. The Future Defense Lab focuses on early-stage innovation areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, robotics, quantum technologies, and advanced materials, while the Unmanned Systems Zone and Naval Zone expand the WDS’s scope to cover unmanned air, land, and maritime equipment, as well as maritime security and integration.

Separately from the zones, the venue’s on-site airport, runway length of 2,700 meters, and four taxiways enable integrated air activity within the exhibition area, rather than relying only on indoor halls. The combined effect is a 2026 edition that is more segmented by theme, larger by floor area, and more structured around both demonstrations and industrial engagement formats. On participation, the third World Defense Show edition is projected to host about 925 exhibitors from about 80 countries and attract more than 130,000 visitors, surpassing the previous edition in exhibitor numbers, official delegations, and international engagement. For comparison, WDS 2024 hosted 773 exhibitors, 441 official delegations from more than 75 nations, and over 106,000 trade visitors, while agreements collectively valued at 26 billion Saudi Riyals were concluded at the 2024 event.

Additionally, several countries were not present at earlier shows and are now included among the 2026 participants, such as Japan, Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Finland, while Türkiye will be among the largest participating contingents by exhibition space allocation. For its part, Boeing confirmed its participation as a Platinum Sponsor and will display the F-15 fighters, the CH-47 Chinook, the KC-46 tanker, and the AH-64 Apache, while Northrop Grumman plans to present an improved command and control management system. Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) will be a national strategic partner for the event, and Russian companies, including Rostec and ZALA, are preparing displays focused on unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-drone equipment, including 30 mm remotely detonated anti-UAV rounds.

The Indian Ministry of State for Defence announced its participation with a high-level delegation and a first dedicated pavilion, bringing tanks, artillery, missiles, and radars, alongside bilateral discussions aimed at industrial collaboration with Saudi counterparts. Finally, the Chinese participation is notably large, with more than 100 Chinese defense companies booked to exhibit and about 88% of the China Pavilion space booked, making China the second-largest country pavilion at the show. For visitors asking what they will see, we can announce that the Russian exhibit will be a key point of interest: Rosoboronexport shipped several modern assets to Riyadh ahead of the show, including the BTR-22 8×8 armored combat vehicle and the Ballista remote-controlled weapon station, which possesses a 30 mm cannon with optional anti-tank guided missiles, as well as the Planshet-A artillery command post on a wheeled chassis.

Most importantly, the Sarma 300 mm multiple launch rocket system will make its first public appearance, with a range of up to 120 km with a mix of unguided and guided 300 mm rockets. For loitering munitions and unmanned equipment, Russian companies will present the RUS-PE containerized loitering munition with 1 kg or 2 kg warhead options, the KUB-2E loitering munition integrated with the Skat-350M reconnaissance unmanned aircraft, and the ZALA Lancet-E reconnaissance-and-strike set described as including the Z-16-E reconnaissance unmanned aircraft and two associated loitering munition units.

The Saudi Hawks aerobatic team’s Hawk-165 (T-165) lead-in training jet is set to make a first public flying appearance during the show, as part of the broader live air demonstration schedule that runs alongside static aircraft displays supported by the on-site runway and taxiways. Lockheed Martin will highlight the F-35 Lightning II at the show, close to Boeing’s planned display set that includes the F-15 family, CH-47, KC-46, and AH-64. In small arms, visitors will see Russia's AK-15 and AK-19 rifles and shortened variants (AK-15K, AK-15SK, AK-19K), the RPL-20 light machine gun, the GP-46 under-barrel grenade launcher, and an upgraded RPG-29M with day and night sighting equipment. About the sea domain, ARES Naval Shipyard is participating in the new Naval Zone, but this company does not name specific models expected on site. As the official media outlet for World Defense Show 2026, Army Recognition will present to you the exhibitors' participation, national pavilions, and key equipment on display, with detailed articles before, throughout, and after the event, so do not miss our coverage of WDS 2026.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.