Aqaba, Oct. 27 (Petra) – His Majesty King Abdullah II, the Supreme
Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), inaugurated on
Tuesday the 15th edition of the Special Operations Forces Exhibition
and Conference SOFEX 2026, in Aqaba, attended by Their Royal
Highnesses Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II and Prince Hashem
bin Abdullah II, according to the Royal Hashemite Court.

Organised in coordination with the JAF, SOFEX is one of the leading
forums for manufacturers and suppliers of special operations
equipment, providing a platform to showcase the latest military
technologies, defence solutions and cyber security systems, and to
exchange expertise and forge partnerships between leading
international companies and participating official delegations.

His Majesty was briefed by SOFEX organisers on the themes of the
conference and exhibition, and the key participants at this year’s
event, which is the largest to date in terms of exhibition space and
number of participating countries.

More than 400 official delegations representing 75 countries, and 350
exhibiting companies from 38 countries are taking part in SOFEX 2026.

The King watched a video presentation documenting the exhibition’s
development over the years, which highlighted the most notable modern
defence technologies and solutions displayed at SOFEX.

During the opening ceremony, SOFEX Chairman Brig. Gen. (retired)
Ayman Al Batran emphasised that this year’s exhibition in Aqaba is
taking place at a critical juncture amidst increasingly complex
regional challenges.

He noted that addressing these rapidly evolving changes requires
raising the level of preparedness and strengthening international
cooperation, as well as fostering integrated strategic partnerships
between nations, armed forces, security agencies, innovators and
technology leaders in defence industries.

Batran added that over the course of three decades, SOFEX has
succeeded in cementing Jordan’s position on the global defence
exhibition scene, embodying the Royal vision of establishing Jordan
as a regional and international hub for defence innovation and
technology.

For his part, the commander of the King Abdullah II Royal Special
Forces Group said the nature of modern warfare is developing rapidly
as a result of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and
autonomous systems, pointing out that technical superiority is not
enough unless combined with field experience and the ability to adapt
quickly.

The commander underscored that tackling future threats requires the
forging of close international partnerships, given that the future of
special operations forces is shaped by cooperation and shared
strategic choices.

His Majesty toured the exhibition and viewed the displays of a range
of local and international companies, as well as the latest
developments in military technology, the defence industry, and
innovative security solutions.

The King was also briefed by company representatives and pavilion
managers on the nature of their exhibits and the latest special
operations equipment and smart systems that have been developed.

On the sidelines of SOFEX, the King held meetings with Chief of Staff
of the Lebanese Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Hassan Odeh and Lebanon
Minister of National Defence Michel Menassah, United Kingdom Defence
Senior Adviser to the Middle East and North Africa Vice Admiral
Edward Ahlgren, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander for NATO Gen. Aurelio
Colagrande, Rear Admiral Samuel Majou of the French Armed Forces,
Maj. Gen. Michał Strzelecki of the Polish Armed Forces, Chief of
Staff of the Malaysian Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Datuk Azhan Md Othman,
and Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force Brig. Carlos Lovell.

A number of Royal Family members, and senior officers and officials
also attended opening ceremony.

//Petra// HA