WASHINGTON — Border surveillance and security technologies are expected to take center stage at this week's International Defense Exhibition, driven by internal and regional stability issues and the fight against Islamic State extremists, according to a former senior US defense official.

"The whole idea of border surveillance and security will be an overriding theme in this one," said William Landay, retired director of the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). "A lot of the discussion will be: How do we protect our borders?"

The most obvious buyer would be Saudi Arabia, which has been building a 900-kilometer fence along its northern border with Iraq: a sophisticated five-layer barrier reinforced with watch towers, night-vision cameras and radar. It's serious business; a Saudi general was reportedly killed in January during a skirmish with Islamic State fighters at a border post 25 miles from the northern border city of Arar.

Following upheaval in Yemen, Saudi border guards in the north and south were reportedly given orders last month to shoot infiltrators on sight. Since the Houthi incursions toward Sana'a began, Saudi Arabia has been fortifying its border and speeding up construction of a wall between the two countries.

Turkey, meanwhile, has reportedly been building an 8-kilometer wall along a fragment of its southeastern border with Syria to combat smuggling, illegal migration and the threat from Syrian fighters. US lawmakers have called on Turkey to do more to stop militants from trekking through from Syria into Europe.

"Terrorism, events that have been viewed as problems outside the region, are being viewed as coming into the region," Landay said. "How does any given country have an understanding of who's coming across those borders and what their purposes are?"

The US government officials who travel to IDEX typically have several goals at such an exposition. One is to advocate for American companies, to discuss updates to US export control processes and to consult with governments on broader strategic cooperation issues.

"The State Department uses our network of more than 200 embassies and consulates in support of American industry and American jobs," said Puneet Talwar, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, in a statement. "Every day, our diplomats and commercial officers make sure that our companies get a fair shot wherever they operate — driving exports, creating jobs and accelerating our economic growth."

The DSCA will be focused on partner and regional security, military-to-military cooperation, greater interoperability and strengthened bilateral relationships with partners, the agency's chief, Vice Adm. Joseph Rixey, said in a statement. DSCA executes the Foreign Military Sales program.

"Events such as IDEX provide excellent opportunities to strengthen bilateral relationships through continued dialogue, to communicate key issues of mutual interest, and to identify new areas for increased cooperation with senior government counterparts," Rixey said.

For the US, there have historically been strong discussions at IDEX on air and missile defense. These are expected to continue, and perhaps evolve into discussions about a coordinated gulf missile defense architecture. The last few years have seen several large purchases of fighter aircraft, so interest is on the wane and will likely compete for attention with border security, Landay said.

Will cyber be a hot topic at IDEX? Even in the wake of the 2012 cyber attack on Saudi Aramco, talks on hacking and network defense are likely to go on behind the scenes at best, Landay said. Not only is awareness lagging in the Mideast, but the subject's clandestine nature hinders detailed, open conversations.

"It may be a strong theme, but it will be more of an underlying theme than something you'll see in public," Landay said.

Falling oil prices in the region may have tainted the atmosphere for multibillion-dollar mega-deals, so governments in the region will be more apt to make smaller or more focused buys, which again favors radars, patrol crafts or command centers. While the show is not expected to be visibly smaller, the talk will be about smarter buys.

"There will be a concern and a belt-tightening going on, but I also think it tends to be a region with a lot of money and lot of things they want to focus on," Landay said.

US Presence

With shrinking defense budgets domestically, both first- and second-tier US firms are expected to have a strong, aggressive yet tailored presence as they seek to balance any losses at home. US helicopters, fighters, ships, radars and missiles will be on display.

Companies such as Boeing say they are taking heed of economic shifts. Not only are international sales roughly 30 percent of Boeing Defense, Space and Security's business, but the Mideast is a key, strategic market for the company's long-term growth, according to Paul Oliver, the division's vice president for business development in the Mideast and Africa.

While the long-term effects of falling oil prices have not been fully realized, and demand for Boeing products remains high, Oliver said, customers around the world continue to demand value in defense products and long-term relationships for services and support.

"Boeing is committed to developing affordable solutions for customers that meet their needs for the long term," Oliver said. "At the same time we are looking for opportunities to partner with local industries and create sustained relationships as we grow a truly global business."

Boeing plans to highlight aircraft of particular interest in the gulf — its C-17 Globemaster III; AH-64D Apache, AH-6I and CH-47 Chinook helicopters; F-15 and F/A-18 multirole fighters; ScanEagle/Integrator UAVs; V-22 Osprey; and ISR aircraft.

"We continue to see region-wide recapitalization in tactical aircraft, mobility assets, ISR and rotorcraft," Oliver said. "Additionally, the regional governments have emerging and accelerating interest in networked technologies that assist in the development and maintenance of integrated air defense capabilities. This includes ground-based management, ISR, and airborne command-and-control systems. Boeing is committed to providing key partnership and aerospace development opportunities."

For General Dynamics, IDEX is a chance to display lightweight tactical vehicles — the Flyer 72 and Flyer 60 (numbered for their width in inches) — alongside its complement of established weapons and munitions. Adaptable to a variety of missions, including border security, the vehicles have attracted attention in the Mideast after US Special Operations selected the Flyer 72 as its Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1, company reps say.

GD's Light Armored Vehicle demonstrator, based on the Canadian Army's LAV 6.0, which has a double V-hull, will be showcased alongside models of its other armored vehicles, said Doug Wilson-Hodge, manager of corporate affairs for GDLS Canada. He touted Canada's LAV reconnaissance vehicle's usefulness for a variety of missions.

"The breadth of vehicles include the Peacekeeping Support Vehicle and Ocelot, both protected four-by-fours and potential border security vehicles," Wilson-Hodge said.

Armored truck manufacturer Oshkosh Defense plans to exhibit its L-ATV, its entrant for the Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle competition and — for the first time at IDEX — one of its MAT-V extended wheel-base variants.

"What we're seeing in the region in response to a full range of security challenges — not just in the Middle East and North Africa, but globally — is that forces today need to be able to respond to a variety of threats, and operate in both urban and severe terrain," said Bill Mooney, Oshkosh Defense's regional vice president for the Middle East and North Africa.

The company also plans to show software from its TerraMax self-driving kit, designed to be applied to larger tactical wheeled vehicles and used with little human interaction. A single operator can use the system to supervise multiple unmanned ground vehicles, freeing up manpower and potentially removing troops from danger, company representatives said.

"As you know, some of our Middle Eastern partners have limited manpower and they are looking for technologies to maximize the capability they have," Mooney said. "This is a great example of where we can help them with that, especially when it comes to convoy logistics or other economies of scale."

Chris Davis, president of Raytheon International, United Arab Emirates, touted the company's 50-year presence in the Mideast and IDEX as a venue to build on strong relations with Middle East customers. The company plans to feature unspecified, "mission capabilities and advanced solutions that help our gulf customers achieve their defense and security goals."

Email: jgould@defensenews.com

Twitter @reporterjoe

Joe Gould was the senior Pentagon reporter for Defense News, covering the intersection of national security policy, politics and the defense industry. He had previously served as Congress reporter.

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