TOP BRASS from 57 countries went shopping in London Docklands yesterday for a variety of missiles and military hardware on the first day of Europe’s biggest arms fair.

More than 2,600 security personnel and police officers far outnumbered the hundreds of protesters, who chanted and blocked roads outside the tight police cordon that surrounded the Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition at the Royal Docks. There were 16 arrests.

Inside the four-day show, military officials and defence ministers perused exhibits from 950 companies, half of which are British.

A total of 57 countries, including Algeria, Angola, Colombia, Pakistan and India had accepted the Ministry of Defence’s invitation to attend the show. Zimbabwe and Indonesia had not been invited, although a Chinese delegation had, even though it is illegal for British companies to sell most military equipment to Beijing.

As generals in full military regalia strolled past missiles, guns, satellite systems and unmanned drones, a spokesman for DSEi claimed that it was not an arms fair.

“This is an exhibition, mainly for contractors and sub- contractors. It’s an industry-to-industry show,” the spokesman said.

In an attempt to demystify the event, the exhibition had opened its doors to the national media for the first time.

“Just take a look around. We’ve got nothing to hide,” said one MoD official who had helped to organise the event.The MoD has asked manufacturers of cluster bombs not to display them, and the real business of clinching arms deals will go on elsewhere.

As many companies emphasised, the exhibition was primarily a networking event for the arms trade.

According to one executive of a big defence company: “Our international reach is so great already that most key players know who we are and what we do. But you just feel you’ve got to come; you’ve got to be seen to be a player.”

Gary Elliott, of the British company BAE Systems, said: “We don’t really come here to make sales on the day. It’s more about making links and contacts, and we’ve been very busy.

“Looking around, I think this will be the biggest arms show in the world this year, because everyone has put an awful lot into it.”

Major-General Mulinge, from Kenya, said that his visit was a chance to catch up on the latest developments. His army’s equipment was old and needed to be updated, he said. “But I’m not shopping for anything in particular.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Donor organ allowed child’s own heart to heal
• Michael Jackson: Not the final chapter
• Brüno toned down for 15 rating