Page 69 - Protec PR Book Volume 2

It mimicked a life-like battle scenario that involved fighter jets and attack helicopters flying by, military tanks and fast moving armoured vehicle pursuits in challenging surroundings and terrain, a bespoke working train and submarine built entirely by Protec as well as soldiers in engaging “firefights”.
It was a technology demonstration worth the dedicated staging set that Protec built up for the show, which left audiences and special guests struck in awe on all five days this show was run.
The first day began as the formal opening ceremony, which was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; Crown Princes of all the emirates; defence ministers and senior military officers from 57 nations, head of delegates and other senior officials.
Guests awaiting the official opening were treated to displays from Emirati military and police bands as well as over 400 traditional dancers who also paraded the flags of the 57 nations participating at IDEX to welcome them as part of their choreographed heritage sequence.
Following the arrival of the Royal Party and the playing of the UAE national anthem, the Presidential Regiment and Orchestra of Russia performed an impressive rifle drill sequence as a prelude to the capability demonstration.
This year’s live military demonstration comprised of a breath-taking, all-action display that highlighted the capabilities
of many divisions of the UAE Armed Forces. The fictitious scenario designed, developed, directed and delivered by Protec for its client IDEX, involved a setting in a ‘war torn mountain nation’ where a ‘militia’ group who have been inflicting disorder, attack a long awaited humanitarian aid train, hijack a ship loaded with chemicals and further enhance the threat with another sub-surface menace in the form of an armed hostile submarine detected out at sea but headed toward the ‘chemical plant’ at the base of the mountains on the banks of the inlet.
The story plays out the rapid response to the militia’s assaults, where the ‘friendly forces’ mount attacks on militia forces from air, land and sea. Leclerc tanks, BMP-3 armored vehicles and other infantry fighting vehicles engage in intense battles and assault militia positions, while Blackhawk and Apache helicopters provide air cover. Special Forces storm the hijacked vessel from fast boats, while others arrive by Chinook to helo-cast into the creek before coming ashore. Mirage 2000 and F-16 fighters provide air support for the operation.
The story continues to play out how the militia are overwhelmed by the friendly forces with specialist route-proving and CBRN vehicles deployed to detect and negate IED threats, as well as to take samples to ensure that there is no chemical threat. But even as friendly forces take control of the situation, the submarine threat manifests itself. Friendly Navy Panthers and a Super Puma arrive to counter the submarine, which has been tracked by the Super Puma using its dipping active sonar scan equipment.
As the submarine surfaces, its crew surrender to friendly assault forces. When the militia threat seemed finally countered, to everyone’s shock, the Chemical Plant’s emergency sirens go off with the factory workers running out in panic.
The militia’s chief then emerges just as the friendly forces seal off the chemical plant’s entrance with a precision airstrike by F16 jets. As the militia chief tries to escape, his vehicle is lead into a trap by the friendly forces and eventually taken out by Leclerc tanks to bring to an end the militia threat. To bring the spectacle to a fitting finale, the MB339 aircraft of the UAE national aerobatic display team, Al Fursan, perform their trademark flypast streaming the national colors behind them as a salute to the UAE Armed Forces.
IDEX, the main event organizer in conjunction with ADNEC & the UAE Armed Forces, used Protec to produce and build the entire temporary venue for a show that was complicated and challenging. Eddie Andradé, the show’s creative director explains, “this show involves jets and helicopter fly pasts that have to be timed to the precise second to match up with the action sequences on the staging area performed by military tanks and armored vehicles, infantry, weapons systems, special effects that include large pyro explosions on land and on the mountains, bullet rips, water explosions, vehicle explosions, etc.” He continues, “The entire show has to be timed to perfection and this involves intense coordination between the show caller, stunt director and choreographer, special effects crew, stage managers, video, audio, cameras, the Navy, the Land Forces, the pilots, the Airport, the air bases, air traffic control, road traffic control, the police and civil defence.”