Matt Isler
3 min readNov 22, 2019

Defense Highlights from Dubai Airshow 2019: Three Takeaways

Article 3: Three changes that were clear this week at Dubai Airshow:

“Attribution is the new form of deterrence” (Lt Gen Guastella, Commander of Air Forces in region). As much as ISR enables commanders to understand their operating environment and identify threats, deterring states who hide behind proxy forces and civilian fronts demands attribution of their disruptive actions to attribute the sources of attack. Deterrence depends on attribution, and only when attacks are clearly attributed is there legitimacy for a robust response.

Countries in the region who face these proxy and civilian-cloaked threats are seeking to rapidly upgrade their ISR enterprises to provide threat warning and attribution, and are looking for lower-cost ways to field technologies currently fielded on high-cost US-operated systems (FMV, BLOS, WAMI, GMTI). Many US companies are selling or developing smaller unmanned systems with similar capabilities to larger and more expensive US manned and unmanned systems. Partners are attracted to these smaller platforms because they give leaders valuable new capabilities at an achievable price point.

Partners want US-interoperable data and systems. Partners recognize current US movement toward big-data and cloud-enabled AI tools, and are looking to field US systems that can plug into big US-linked coalition ISR and data-sharing systems. While competitors like PRC advertise some similar systems, partners recognize the significant differences in ISR quality, concerns over data security, and the long-term issues of integrating these systems into US-linked coalition operations.

Partners don’t yet fully understand the opportunities and demands stemming from the data provided by new ISR systems. Beyond controlling and maintaining ISR, partners need coaching as they prepare their forces for processing exploitation and dissemination (PED) of data from these new systems, and changes to IPOE and targeting processes that grow from being able to leverage large volumes of high-quality information.

This is the final of three articles from the Dubai Airshow. Dubai was a forum for bilateral engagements with partners from around the world, and SAF IA is grateful for our gracious UAE hosts, and the AFCENT and AMC Airmen who represented USAF to our partners. #DubaiAirshow2019

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Article 2: Three takeaways from this week’s Dubai Airshow:

Our partners love US airpower technology, but what they value most is a relationship with our Airmen and Air Force. Whether it is KC-46, F-16, or IAMD, our partners know when they train, exercise, and fight with our Airmen, they transform their force to a new level of professionalism. Many partners are finding a way off old Soviet gear to get this transformation.

The best advocate for US equipment and technology is our Airmen. Airmen sharing their passion and pride in operating a new weapons system — even when they are clear about working through the challenges of fielding new systems — quickly pull partners over the hump of the belief-curve. There is no better spokesperson for US industry than the forces operating the system.

US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) timelines and transparency remain a significant challenge for our partners. Leaders understand the value in US-managed FMS cases, but need to see progress, be informed through constant dialogue and well-placed Liaison Officers, and want transparency in policy-approval actions linked to their cases.

This is the second of three articles from the Dubai Airshow, the next article will be on ISR.

This week’s Dubai Airshow was a forum for bilateral engagements with partners from around the world, and SAF IA is grateful for our gracious UAE hosts, and the AFCENT Airmen who represented USAF to our partners.

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Article 1: (This is the first of three articles from this week’s Dubai Airshow, which opened with the Dubai Air Chief’s Conference.)

Dubai International Air Chief’s conference highlights…an all-call for significant work ahead in Integrated Air and Missile Defense:

“Drones are now part of the battlefield” (Ret UAE Air Chief Gen Khalid Al Bu Ainnain)…defending against long range precision targeting by a mixture of UAS and cruise missiles is now a part of every nation’s defense

“We must change C2” …defense depends on integrated sensors and layered capabilities

“The time to settle old grievances is not when an Iranian Missile is in flight” (CSAF Gen Goldfein)…a Common Operating Picture (COP) based on contributions of all nation’s sensors provides the most accurate and timely defense cueing

The threats faced in the gulf region today will become part of the reality for every nation’s defense, and demand an integrated approach.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dubai-settling-grievances-key-to-gulf-states-air-462276/

Matt Isler
Matt Isler

Written by Matt Isler

Defense | Aerospace | AI | Energy

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