Edge in e-warfare gives lead on adversaries: Saudi top brass
RIYADH: Experts discussed the latest trends in electronic warfare and ways to counter those threats at the Fifth Electronic Warfare Conference at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Riyadh on Tuesday.
The two-day conference, jointly organized by the KACST and the Ministry of Defense, was inaugurated by KACST President Prince Dr. Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saudi. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the head of the general staff, Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Bunyan, and other prominent civilian and security officials.
Air Marshal Philip Sturley, a former senior commander in the Royal Air Force, chaired the first session of the event.
He said Saudi Arabia has a proud history in electronic warfare and radar technology.
Sturley said that it is important to localize the capabilities and human resources to keep up the pace with the advancements in the field of electronic warfare. In this regard, he added, Saudi Arabia is taking all necessary measures.
Sturley, who has held a wide range of staff posts including joint combined and NATO appointments, said that developing indigenous capabilities with foreign expertise will go a long way in achieving the Kingdom’s targets as set in the Vision 2030 plan.
The KACST president pointed out that rapid technological advances in protecting military systems, communications and information led to the emergence of extraordinary threats to radar and electronic warfare systems. In this context, he said the conference is being held to enable professionals to learn about the latest developments in this field.
Following the inauguration of the conference, Prince Dr. Turki also opened an exhibition to showcase the features and products of electronic warfare.
He said that at the exhibition, visitors witnessed the inauguration of the Saudi Defense Electronics Co. (SADEC), which was established in accordance with the agreement signed in 2015 between the Defense and Security Technology (DST), subsidiary of the Saudi Technology Development and Investment Co. (TAQNIA), which is owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) Turkish company Aselsan.
Gen. Al-Bunyan said that the ever-increasing use of electronic warfare in contemporary warfare is a strong indicator of the important role it will play in any future conflict.
“Possessing advanced technologies in the field of e-war deliver advantages and lead on adversaries,” he said.
Dr. Sultan Almorqi, director of the National Center for Sensors and Defense Systems Technologies, said the conference will run on two themes: The first deals with future trends in electronic warfare and radar technology, while the second one is about current military and civilian operations and application of electronic warfare and radar technology. and