WDS today and tomorrow: EDR On-Line speaks with the Carma Media Insight CEO
Since the first edition of the World Defense Show the world has changed. In 2022 WDS opened its doors a few days after the Russian aggression to Ukraine, and since tension has constantly been on the rise. What did this change in the media attitude towards defence in general and the defence industry in particular? At WDS 2026 EDR On-Line met Mazen Nahawi, the CEO of Carma Media Insight, whose organisation was responsible for monitoring media outlets at the show.
“I think you’ll find most media in the Saudi market and within the region have developed a maturity for understanding the nature of the defence industry. Before, it was a very remote thing to most people. If there was a big agreement, for example, between the Saudi Ministry of Defence and the U.S. to buy 100 F-15s 30 years ago, you’d hear about it, but nobody would really know or appreciate what that actually included from a technology point of view, from a manufacturing point of view, from a training point of view, and from a readiness point of view. And probably also from a national business point of view. So now you have the normal person on the street has an idea of what a drone does and why it’s important. And they’re wondering, are they going to be built in Saudi Arabia? People are wondering, how do we train? How do we develop AI systems which can integrate with the hardware? And this isn’t military people only. Normal businesspeople, even young people in universities, are now connected to the defence industry, which is a big change in this part of the world.
“That maturity in understanding the defence industry means people are much more interested in weapons systems, partly out of curiosity, partly because they’re politically in tune with what’s going on in the region. Partly there’s a growing interest in sciences among many university students who want to be in some kind of scientific industry where technology, AI, and hardware all come together. And you have the empowerment of women who are playing an increasingly important role in the defence establishment in the Kingdom, in the region, and worldwide.”
This had obviously an impact on the World Defense Show, as an increasing number of media is now covering the event. “We’ll check at the end of the event which was the increase in the number of media badges issued in 2026, because many ad hoc people are still coming. We do know that the media coverage is up by at least 20% compared to last edition, not only on traditional journalism, but in social media where, believe it or not, TikTok is the top B2B platform in the world. And the amount of coverage on WDS and the manufacturers who are here on TikTok and social platforms is at an all-time high.”
While reporting is increasing, the exhibition itself is on the rise. Every time a new hall is added, and since the first edition WDS has shown the interest in Saudi Arabia and the region not only by major western companies, but also by companies from Russia, Asia, as well as South America. How is the feeling in KSA, and how much local media looks at diversification? “There’s a lot of interest in non-Western suppliers. Saudi Arabia has long had equipment, particularly ballistic missiles, delivered from China. That’s going back to the late 1980s and we think that will continue. There’s a little bit of media coverage on that, but it’s more than before. The big winner from a media point of view are the Turks, who, because of their drones, their new aircraft, their excellent range of armoured vehicles, their growing range of high-precision artillery and magnetic shells, are creating a lot of interest among buyers in the region. And there is a cultural and religious connection between the Arab Middle East and the Turkish Middle East, where there is a public expectation for more cooperation. Will it mean one deal, 10 deals, 100 deals? It’s too early to tell. A lot of this Turkish equipment is brand new and not yet fully tested. So, the question will be really, in my mind, for 2027, how high will Turkey rise to the rankings? Because now their equipment is being used en masse in Syria, whether it’s drones, aircraft, armoured vehicles, artillery. It’s the first time it’s being used on a combined arms level, and that is changing the game and allowing the world and especially Gulf buyers to have visibility on what Turkish weaponry can do from a combined arms perspective. The Americans will continue to be in the lead, I believe, for at least another five months. But they may no longer be the majority. They were in the lead and the majority. Moving forward, they may remain in the lead, but I’m not sure if they will be in the majority.”
What might all this means looking forward to the 2028 edition of the World Defense Show? “I think you’ll find two more halls. I think one will all be dedicated to Saudi-manufactured equipment and the one will be fully powered by Saudi AI companies, where you’ll have a combination of advanced AI and advanced AI-driven manufacturing supporting the Saudi defence industry. So, the traditional players locally, regionally, and globally will continue to grow by nature, but you’re going to have a big influx from the Saudi civil economy playing a big role in advanced manufacturing and AI.
