
Arar Foundation Board of Trustees members Avetik Chalabyan, Artur Alaverdyan, Igor Zargaryan, and Executive Director Armen Khachikyan participated in the “IDEX & NAVDEX 2023” exhibition taking place in the United Arab Emirates from February 20 to 24 and comprehensively studied the modern trends in armaments and military equipment. The representatives of the foundation carefully observed a number of the newest solutions for the military industry and had many meetings with the representatives of large military-industrial companies. This military-technical exhibition is an excellent opportunity to rethink the vision and strategy of the armament of the Armenian army.
Avetik Chalabyan, a member of the board of trustees of the fund, in particular, noted – that the “Arar” fund has made active investments in the field of military industry in the past years, and their scale continues to grow. When you see the achievements of other (including hostile) countries, the main feeling is that we have no right to lag, be poor, or be afraid as a result, on the contrary, we must unite our forces, work together, and strive to at least be equal to the best in our priority areas. Armenian companies, which consistently work to develop the Armenian military industry and our collective combat capabilities, should also be duly appreciated.”
Igor Zargaryan, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, said, “It is practically impossible to completely produce or buy all types of weapons and technologies that Armenia needs. But we are sure that all efforts should be directed at asymmetric weapons. That is, for example, to develop technologies worth tens of thousands of dollars, which can, if not destroy, at least render the enemy’s equipment worth several million dollars ineffective. Simply put, it is necessary to invest in “smart technologies”.
Artur Alaverdyan, a member of the board of trustees of the foundation, said, “What we saw at the exhibition proves that the development of military technologies is going in a predictable direction. Interestingly, the latest technologies that are widely used in the civil sphere are also actively used in the military sphere. Our country must multiply its efforts in the direction of the development of the latest technologies and the development of a modern defense industry if we want to defend ourselves effectively and be a competitive player in this market.
To summarize, the Director of the “Arar” Foundation, Armen Khachikyan, emphasized the importance of studying the directions of global development of the military industry, evaluating the prospects of future armaments, and adapting the Armenian army to the existing international level as much as possible. The latter emphasized that it is necessary to keep pace with the military-technical developments and be ready not only for the war experience of the past but also for the threats of the future.
In this difficult and problematic situation for our country, the “Arar” Foundation continues to prioritize the provision of favorable conditions for security and development and the modernization of defense systems through innovative technologies.