Aqaba, Oct. 29 (Petra) -- The 15th edition of the Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX 2026) concluded its three-day program in Aqaba on Thursday, marking the end of a major international gathering of military delegations, defense officials, and industry specialists.

The final day featured musical performances by the Jordan Armed Forces Band, an airshow, and live tactical demonstrations by exhibitors showcasing the operational capabilities of various defense equipment and technologies.

This year's exhibition convened more than 400 official delegations from 75 nations and 350 exhibiting companies representing 38 countries. Participants displayed advanced defense and security solutions while exploring avenues for international technical cooperation.

On the sidelines of the event, the Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) finalized several agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with national companies to advance defense manufacturing, recreational aircraft development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing.

The signed agreements included a partnership with Ozone Jordan Facility Management for the development, assembly, and maintenance of recreational aircraft, alongside a deal with Al Azimah for technology covering defense engineering support and technical training.

Additionally, JODDB signed two MoUs: one with Umniah to cooperate on cybersecurity, AI, and cloud solutions, and another with Al Bunya Data Center "Al-Nujoom" to co-develop AI applications and cybersecurity frameworks.

Organized biennially, SOFEX serves as an international platform connecting defense leaders and manufacturers to review tactical technology, address operational challenges, and foster industrial and defense partnerships.

//Petra// AF