"SOFEX 2026" exhibition kicks off in Aqaba today under Royal patronage
Amman3 min read
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The Jordanian Special Operations Forces Exhibition "SOFEX 2026" kicks off on Tuesday under Royal patronage at the Aqaba Exhibition and Convention Centre, continuing for three days with local and international participation to showcase the latest weapons, equipment, and defense and security technologies.
His Royal Highness Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein patronized the launch of the Middle East Special Operations Commanders (MESOC) conference on Monday, in the presence of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Major General Yousef Al-Huneiti, Director of Public Security Major General Obeidallah Al-Maaytah, a number of senior officers from the Jordanian Armed Forces – Arab Army and security services, as well as representatives from brotherly and friendly countries and official figures.
More than 400 official delegations representing 75 brotherly and friendly countries are participating in the conference, alongside 350 exhibiting companies from 38 countries, to discuss the latest developments in defense and security industries, review modern technologies and strategies to face future security challenges, and enhance international cooperation and exchange of expertise.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of SOFEX, retired Major General Ayman Al-Batran, said that Jordan's hosting of the conference confirms its international standing as a reliable and effective partner in combating terrorism, strengthening security measures, developing institutional and operational capabilities, exchanging expertise, and contributing to supporting security and peace in the region and the world.
Al-Batran added that this edition of SOFEX gains exceptional importance as it is held amidst a rapidly evolving and increasingly complex security and operational environment, in which shared knowledge and collective expertise have become fundamental pillars for readiness and effective response, especially in the field of drones and counter-drone systems, and keeping pace with technological transformations.
The Special Forces Commander emphasized that the effectiveness of special operations forces in the modern era depends primarily on anticipating and predicting change, not just reacting to it, stressing that contemporary security challenges necessitate establishing a culture of institutional integration and building strategic international partnerships.
He pointed out that the conference themes for this year, which include knowledge, innovation, multi-domain operations, and international military cooperation, represent a fundamental pillar for enhancing regional resilience and developing capabilities to face expected threats and challenges.
The conference featured intensive panel discussions distributed over three main sessions, which discussed bridging the gap between theory and practice, the role of military institutions and the academic and industrial sectors in technical development, innovation, and supporting combat readiness, in addition to the interdependence between Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and special operations forces in asymmetric multi-domain warfare, the challenges and benefits associated with joint integration and targeting centers, and the role of military diplomacy and unconventional humanitarian missions.
