The requirement to develop a countering drone strategy in the Middle East has become extremely pressing over the last few years. Drone attacks in the region have become a daily occurrence, threatening the safety of armed forces personnel and citizens alike. The increasing frequency of these attacks and the technological advancement of the vehicles being used is truly a cause for concern.

The increasing deployment of a broad spectrum of shop bought and military spec drones by groups loyal to the Islamic State has profoundly changed the security context of the region. Our research demonstrates that military requirement to combat the drone threat is considerably more immediate than in the civilian realm, therefore there needs to be a movement towards a reliable and economical approach to neutralizing this threat in both civilian and military domains.

In the civilian context, the uptake in drone usage by hobbyist, and in some places the continued hostilities of civil war has dramatically changed the security environment for civil aviation, policing and facility protection. Government agencies have plenty of work to do with regulators and industry experts to develop an effective counter drone framework. As the drone threat continues to evolve and multiply, discussions must continue in an effort to stay ahead of malicious pilots.

Therefore, Defence IQ is holding the inaugural Countering Drones Middle East event, 8-9 May 2018, hosted by the Jordanian Armed Forces. This will be the platform for collaborative discussions between government and industry, whilst also providing the opportunity to gain an insight into current and future strategies to effectively detect drone threats.

Enjoy discussions from Jordanian hosts, as well as senior speakers from across the region, including Major General Masood Ahmad Azizi, the Deputy Minister of Policy and Strategy from the Afghan Ministry of the Interior.

For more information, please visit https://counteringdronesme.iqpc.com