Abu Al-Ragheb: Jordan moves to localize drone manufacturing within 10 years
Aqaba2 min read
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Ratib Abu Al-Ragheb, Head of Sales and Business Strategy at the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB), said that Jordan manufactures and develops drones and their components, and is working to build an integrated ecosystem for this industry as part of a government strategy to localize its manufacturing in the Kingdom over the next ten years.
During the Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX 2026) in Aqaba, he explained that the work is not limited to manufacturing and developing drones, but also includes building an integrated industrial ecosystem in cooperation with universities, the industrial sector, defense industries, and relevant authorities.
On Tuesday, under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the 15th edition of the Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX 2026) kicked off, with the participation of more than 400 official delegations from 75 countries and 350 exhibiting companies from 38 countries.
Abu Al-Ragheb pointed out that the move toward localizing the drone industry coincides with the development of modern defense technologies, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and electronic warfare, to keep pace with the requirements of modern warfare and existing threats in the region and the world.
He indicated that the work includes developing anti-drone systems that possess advanced capabilities for detection and tracking from long distances and dealing with threats using multiple means, in addition to integrating electronic jamming and camouflage systems with tactical command and control systems.
Abu Al-Ragheb revealed the development of a Jordanian electronic shooting product, which has been converted into a mobile system on a vehicle, allowing for the creation of a training range in open areas without the need to build a fixed shooting range, thus providing more flexible and cost-effective training solutions.
He expected increased interest in the defense products showcased during SOFEX 2026, in addition to the signing of more cooperation agreements with external parties and the expansion of opportunities to market and sell products to other countries.
The exhibition serves as a platform to showcase the latest military technologies, defense solutions, and cybersecurity systems, as well as to exchange expertise and build partnerships between international companies and participating delegations.
